Stabilized polynucleotides for use in RNA interference

ABSTRACT

Methods and compositions for performing RNA interference comprising a wide variety of stabilized polynucleotides suitable for use in serum-containing media and for in vivo applications, such as therapeutic applications, are provided. These polynucleotides permit effective and efficient applications of RNA interference to applications such as diagnostics and therapeutics through the use of one or more modifications including orthoesters, terminal conjugates, modified linkages and 2′modified nucleotides.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/406,908, filed 02 Apr. 2003, which is hereby incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates to the field of stabilized polynucleotides.

BACKGROUND

[0003] Relatively recent discoveries in the field of RNA metabolism have revealed that the uptake of double stranded RNA (dsRNA) can induce a phenomenon known as RNA interference (RNAi). RNAi is a process by which a polynucleotide inhibits the activity of another nucleotide sequence, such as messenger RNA. This phenomenon has been observed in cells of a diverse group of organisms, including humans, suggesting its promise as a novel therapeutic approach to the genetic control of human disease.

[0004] In most organisms, RNAi is effective when using relatively long dsRNA. Unfortunately, in mammalian cells, the use of long dsRNA to induce RNAi has been met with only limited success. In large part, this ineffectiveness is due to induction of the interferon response, which results in a general, as opposed to targeted, inhibition of protein synthesis.

[0005] Recently, it has been shown that when short RNA duplexes are introduced into mammalian cells in culture, sequence-specific inhibition of target mRNA can be realized without inducing an interferon response. These short dsRNAs, referred to as small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), can act catalytically at sub-molar concentrations to cleave greater than 95% of the target mRNA in a cell. A description of the mechanisms for siRNA activity, as well as some of its applications is described in Provost et al., Ribonuclease Activity and RNA Binding of Recombinant Human Dicer, E.M.B.O.J., 2002 Nov., 1, 21(21): 5864-5874; Tabara et al., The dsRNA Binding Protein RDE-4 Interacts with RDE-1, DCR-1 and a DexH-box Helicase to Direct RNAi in C. elegans, Cell. 2002, June 28, 109(7):861-71; Ketting et al., Dicer Functions in RNA Interference and in Synthesis of Small RNA Involved in Developmental Timing in C. elegans; and Martinez et al., Single-Stranded Antisense siRNAs Guide Target RNA Cleavage in RNAi, Cell 2002, Sep. 6, 110(5):563, all of which are incorporated by reference herein.

[0006] RNA-induced gene silencing in mammalian cells is presently believed to implicate at least three different levels of control: (i) transcription inactivation (siRNA-guided DNA and histone methylation); (ii) siRNA-induced mRNA degradation; and (iii) mRNA-induced transcriptional attenuation. The interference effect can be long lasting and can be detected after many cell divisions. Consequently, the ability to assess gene function via siRNA mediated methods, as well as to develop therapies for over-expressed genes, represents an exciting and valuable tool that will accelerate genome-wide investigations across a broad range of biomedical and biological research.

[0007] Unfortunately, when naked siRNA molecules are introduced into blood, serum, or serum-containing media, they are nearly immediately degraded. This degradation is due in part to the presence of nucleases and other substances that reduce or eliminate the effectiveness of polynucleotides. Consequently, the use of naked siRNA in cell culture, animal studies, and studies aimed at developing therapeutics, has limited potential benefits.

[0008] Some progress has been made in other applications toward developing modified ribonucleic acids that exhibit improved stability under the above-described conditions, while retaining biological functionality. For example, literature related to ribonucleic acid technologies such as ribozyme stabilization and long antisense DNA stabilization suggest that partial modification of the sugar ring, or the backbone of an RNA molecule, could improve its stability so that complete degradation in blood, serum, or serum-containing media would be prevented, while maintaining some of the nucleic acid's functionality. Known modifications for these applications include, for example, fluoro, 2′-O-methyl, amine and deoxy modifications at the 2′ position of the sugar ring.

[0009] However, to date there has been only limited focus on the use and optimization of these and other modifications in connection with RNAi. One limitation on the use of known modifications is that although they increase stability, this benefit comes at a price. For example, some modifications decrease functionality, thereby requiring higher effective doses; others eliminate functionality entirely, and still others are toxic.

[0010] Thus, there remains a need to develop compositions and methods of using functional stabilized polynucleotides that retain potency. The present invention offers a solution.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0011] The present invention is directed to compositions and methods for performing RNA interference. The compositions and methods of the present invention allow for performing RNA interference with stabilized, functional double stranded polynucleotides. They are particularly advantageous for use in applications that require exposure to blood, serum, serum-containing media, and other biological material that contains nucleases or other factors that tend to degrade nucleic acids.

[0012] According to a first embodiment, the present invention provides a double stranded polynucleotide having a sense strand comprising a polynucleotide comprised of at least one orthoester modified nucleotide, and an antisense strand comprising a polynucleotide comprised of at least one 2′ modified nucleotide unit.

[0013] According to a second embodiment, the present invention provides a double stranded polynucleotide having a sense strand comprising a polynucleotide comprised of at least one orthoester modified nucleotide, an antisense strand comprising a polynucleotide comprised of at least one 2′ modified nucleotide, and a conjugate.

[0014] According to a third embodiment, the present invention provides a double stranded polynucleotide having a sense strand comprising at least one orthoester modified nucleotide, an antisense strand, and a conjugate.

[0015] According to a fourth embodiment, the present invention provides a double stranded polynucleotide having a sense strand, an antisense strand, and a conjugate, wherein the sense strand and/or the antisense strand have at least one 2′ modified nucleotide.

[0016] According to a fifth embodiment, the present invention provides a double stranded polyribonucleotide having a sense strand comprising at least one orthoester modified nucleotide, an antisense strand comprising at least one 2′ modified nucleotide selected from the group consisting of a 2′ halogen modified nucleotide, a 2′ amine modified nucleotide, a 2′-O-alkyl modified nucleotide, and a 2′ alkyl modified nucleotide, and a conjugate selected from the group consisting of amino acids, peptides, polypeptides, proteins, sugars, carbohydrates, lipids, polymers, nucleotides, polynucleotides, and combinations thereof, wherein the polyribonucleotide comprises between 18 and 30 nucleotide base pairs.

[0017] According to a sixth embodiment, the present invention provides a composition comprising one of the structures below:

[0018] wherein each of B₁ and B₂ is a nitrogenous base, carbocycle, or heterocycle; X is selected from the group consisting of O, S, C, and N; W is selected from the group consisting of an OH, a phosphate, a phosphate ester, a phosphodiester, a phosphotriester, a modified internucleotide linkage, a conjugate, a nucleotide, and a polynucleotide; R1 is an orthoester; R2 is selected from the group consisting of a 2′-O-alkyl group, an alkyl group, an amine and a halogen; and Y is a nucleotide or polynucleotide. The dashed lines between B₁ and B₂ indicate interaction by hydrogen bonding between nitrogenous bases.

[0019] According to a seventh embodiment, the present invention provides a method of performing RNA interference. This method is comprised of exposing a double stranded polynucleotide to a target nucleic acid. The double stranded polynucleotide is comprised of a sense strand and an antisense strand, and at least one of said sense strand and said antisense strand comprises at least one orthoester modified nucleotide.

[0020] According to an eighth embodiment, the present invention provides another method of performing RNA interference. This method is comprised of exposing a double stranded polynucleotide to a target nucleic acid, wherein the double stranded polynucleotide is comprised of a sense strand, an antisense strand, and a conjugate. According to this embodiment, either the sense strand or the antisense strand comprises a 2′ modified nucleotide.

[0021] The compositions of the present invention can render double stranded polynucleotides resistant to nuclease degradation, while maintaining biological functionality. By for example, using double stranded polynucleotides with at least one orthoester modified nucleotide, such as on the sense strand, and at least one other modification, such as at an appropriate position on the antisense strand, one can enhance stability while retaining functionality in RNA interference applications. Additionally, using double stranded polynucleotides with one or more 2′ modifications, and/or modified internucleotide linkages, in conjunction with conjugates, in RNA interference applications, can also provide enhanced stability while retaining functionality, even in the absence of an orthoester modification on either strand.

[0022] In yet another embodiment, the invention provides A method of performing RNA interference, said method comprising exposing a double stranded polynucleotide to a target nucleic acid, wherein said double stranded polynucleotide is comprised of a sense strand and an antisense strand, and wherein said sense strand is substantially nonfunctional.

[0023] In yet another embodiment, the invention provides a method of performing RNA interference, said method comprising exposing a double stranded polynucleotide to a target nucleic acid, wherein said double stranded polynucleotide comprises: (a) a conjugate; (b) a sense strand comprising at least one 2′-O-alkyl modification, wherein said sense strand is substantially nonfunctional; and, (c) an antisense strand comprising at least one 2′-fluorine modification, wherein said sense and antisense strands form a duplex of 18-30 base pairs.

[0024] For a better understanding of the present invention together with other and further advantages and embodiments, reference is made to the following description taken in conjunction with the examples, the scope of the which is set forth in the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0025] The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been chosen for purposes of illustration and description but are not intended to restrict the scope of the invention in any way. The benefits of the preferred embodiments of certain aspects of the invention are shown in the accompanying figures, wherein:

[0026]FIG. 1A illustrates the functionality of orthoester modifications on sense and/or antisense strands as measured 24 hours post-transfection.

[0027]FIG. 1B illustrates the functionality of orthoester modifications on sense and/or antisense strands as measured 48 hours post-transfection.

[0028]FIG. 2A illustrates the functionality of orthoester modifications on sense and/or antisense strands in conjunction with other modifications, as measured 24 hours post-transfection.

[0029]FIG. 2B illustrates the functionality of orthoester modifications on sense and/or antisense strands in conjunction with other modifications, as measured 72 hours post-transfection.

[0030]FIG. 2C illustrates the functionality of orthoester modifications on sense and/or antisense strands in conjunction with other modifications as measured 144 hours post-transfection.

[0031]FIG. 3 illustrates the effects of modifications on an antisense strand in an siRNA.

[0032]FIG. 4 illustrates the effects of modifications on a sense strand in an siRNA.

[0033]FIG. 5 illustrates the effects of thio-based modifications of an antisense strand.

[0034]FIG. 6 illustrates the effects of phosphorothioate modifications in both sense and antisense strands.

[0035]FIG. 7 illustrates the effects of 2′-O-methyl modifications in both sense and antisense strands.

[0036]FIG. 8 illustrates the effects of siRNAs that are 2′-deoxy-RNA hybrids

[0037]FIG. 9 illustrates the functionality of a cholesterol conjugate at the 5′ end of a sense strand.

[0038]FIG. 10 illustrates the functionality of a PEG conjugate at the 5′ end of a sense strand.

[0039]FIG. 11 illustrates the reduction in functional dose of a modified siRNA having a cholesterol conjugate at the 5′ end of a sense strand.

[0040]FIG. 12 illustrates protected RNA nucleoside phosphoramidites that can be used for Dharmacon 2′-ACE RNA synthesis chemistry.

[0041]FIG. 13 illustrates an outline of a Dharmacon RNA synthesis cycle.

[0042]FIG. 14 Illustrates the structure of a preferred 2′-ACE protected RNA immediately prior to 2′-deprotection.

[0043]FIG. 15A illustrates functionality consequences of a single 2′-deoxy modification on an otherwise naked double stranded polyribonucleotide.

[0044]FIG. 15B illustrates functionality consequences of two tandem 2′-deoxy modifications on an otherwise naked double stranded polyribonucleotide.

[0045]FIG. 15C illustrates functionality consequences of three tandem 2′-deoxy modifications on an otherwise naked double stranded polyribonucleotide.

[0046]FIG. 16A illustrates functionality consequences of a single 2′-O-methyl modification throughout an otherwise naked double stranded polyribonucleotide.

[0047]FIG. 16B illustrates functionality consequences of two tandem 2′-O-methyl modifications throughout an otherwise naked double stranded polyribonucleotide.

[0048]FIG. 16C illustrates functionality consequences of three tandem 2′-O-methyl modifications throughout an otherwise naked double stranded polyribonucleotide.

[0049]FIG. 17 illustrates functionality consequences of modifications in the sense and the antisense strands.

[0050]FIG. 18 illustrates the effect of a conjugate comprising a 5′ cholesterol moiety on passive uptake of double stranded polyribonucleotides.

[0051]FIG. 19 illustrates functionality consequences of two tandem 2′-deoxy modifications at various positions in a sense strand.

[0052]FIG. 20 illustrates functionality consequences of three tandem 2′-deoxy modifications at various positions in a sense strand.

[0053]FIG. 21 illustrates functionality consequences of a single 2′-deoxy modification at various positions in an antisense strand.

[0054]FIG. 22 illustrates functionality consequences of two tandem 2′-deoxy modifications at various positions in an antisense strand.

[0055]FIG. 23 illustrates functionality consequences of three tandem 2′-deoxy modifications at various positions in an antisense strand.

[0056]FIG. 24 illustrates functionality consequences of two tandem 2′-O-methyl modifications at various positions in a sense strand.

[0057]FIG. 25 illustrates functionality consequences of three tandem 2′-O-methyl modifications at various positions in a sense strand.

[0058]FIG. 26 illustrates functionality consequences of a single 2′-O-methyl modification at various positions in an antisense strand.

[0059]FIG. 27 illustrates functionality consequences of two tandem 2′-O-methyl modifications at various positions in an antisense strand.

[0060]FIG. 28 illustrates functionality consequences of three tandem 2′-O-methyl modifications at various positions in an antisense strand.

[0061]FIG. 29 illustrates functionality consequences of two 2′-O-methyl modifications on the 5′ sense and antisense strands using siRNAs directed against the human cyclophilin gene.

[0062]FIG. 30 illustrates functionality consequences of two 2′-O-methyl modifications on the 5′ sense and antisense strands using siRNAs directed against the firefly luciferase gene.

[0063]FIG. 31 illustrates functionality consequences of two 2′-O-methyl modifications on the 5′ sense and antisense strands using siRNAs directed against the firefly luciferase gene.

[0064]FIG. 32 illustrates the stability of modified siRNAs in human serum.

[0065]FIG. 33 illustrates the affinity of siRNA-cholesterol conjugates for albumin and other serum proteins.

[0066]FIG. 34 illustrates potency effects of small molecule conjugates on siRNAs.

[0067]FIG. 35 illustrates the stability of siRNA conjugates in human serum.

[0068]FIG. 36 illustrates effects on uptake of siRNAs modified with cholesterol conjugates.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0069] The present invention will now be described in connection with preferred embodiments. These embodiments are presented to aid in an understanding of the present invention and are not intended, and should not be construed, to limit the invention in any way. All alternatives, modifications and equivalents that may become apparent to those of ordinary skill upon reading this disclosure are included within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0070] This disclosure is not a primer on compositions and methods for performing RNA interference. Basic concepts known to those skilled in the art have not been set forth in detail.

[0071] The present invention is directed to compositions and methods for performing RNA interference, including siRNA-induced gene silencing. Through the use of the present invention, modified polynucleotides, and derivatives thereof, one may improve the efficiency of RNA interference applications.

[0072] Unless stated otherwise, the following terms and phrases have the meanings provided below:

[0073] Alkyl

[0074] The term “alkyl” refers to a hydrocarbyl moiety that can be saturated or unsaturated, and substituted or unsubstituted. It may comprise moieties that are linear, branched, cyclic and/or heterocyclic, and contain functional groups such as ethers, ketones, aldehydes, carboxylates, etc.

[0075] Exemplary alkyl groups include but are not limited to substituted and unsubstituted groups of methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, pentyl, hexyl, heptyl, octyl, nonyl, decyl, undecyl, dodecyl, tridecyl, tetradecyl, pentadecyl, hexadecyl, heptadecyl, octadecyl, nonadecyl, eicosyl and alkyl groups of higher number of carbons, as well as 2-methylpropyl, 2-methyl-4-ethylbutyl, 2,4-diethylpropyl, 3-propylbutyl, 2,8-dibutyldecyl, 6,6-dimethyloctyl, 6-propyl-6-butyloctyl, 2-methylbutyl, 2-methylpentyl, 3-methylpentyl, and 2-ethylhexyl. The term alkyl also encompasses alkenyl groups, such as vinyl, allyl, aralkyl and alkynyl groups.

[0076] Substitutions within an alkyl group can include any atom or group that can be tolerated in the alkyl moiety, including but not limited to halogens, sulfurs, thiols, thioethers, thioesters, amines (primary, secondary, or tertiary), amides, ethers, esters, alcohols and oxygen. The alkyl groups can by way of example also comprise modifications such as azo groups, keto groups, aldehyde groups, carboxyl groups, nitro, nitroso or nitrile groups, heterocycles such as imidazole, hydrazino or hydroxylamino groups, isocyanate or cyanate groups, and sulfur containing groups such as sulfoxide, sulfone, sulfide, and disulfide.

[0077] Further, alkyl groups may also contain hetero substitutions, which are substitutions of carbon atoms, by for example, nitrogen, oxygen or sulfur. Heterocyclic substitutions refer to alkyl rings having one or more heteroatoms. Examples of heterocyclic moieties include but are not limited to morpholino, imidazole, and pyrrolidino.

[0078] 2′-O-alkyl Modified Nucleotide

[0079] The phrase “2′-O-alkyl modified nucleotide” refers to a nucleotide unit having a sugar moiety, for example a deoxyribosyl moiety that is modified at the 2′ position such that an oxygen atom is attached both to the carbon atom located at the 2′ position of the sugar and to an alkyl group.

[0080] Amine and 2′ Amine Modified Nucleotide

[0081] The term “amine” refers to moieties that can be derived directly or indirectly from ammonia by replacing one, two, or three hydrogen atoms by other groups, such as, for example, alkyl groups. Primary amines have the general structures RNH₂ and secondary amines have the general structure R₂NH. The phrase “2′ amine modified nucleotide” refers to a nucleotide unit having a sugar moiety that is modified with an amine or nitrogen-containing group attached to the 2′ position of the sugar.

[0082] The term amine includes, but is not limited to methylamine, ethylamine, propylamine, isopropylamine, aniline, cyclohexylamine, benzylamine, poly cyclic amines, heteroatom substituted aryl and alkylamines, dimethylamine, diethylamine, diisopropylamine, dibutylamine, methylpropylamine, methylhexylamine, methylcyclopropylamine, ethylcylohexylamine, methylbenzylamine, methycyclohexylmethylamine, butylcyclohexylamine, morpholine, thiomorpholine, pyrrolidine, piperidine, 2,6-dimethylpiperidine, piperazine, and heteroatom substituted alkyl or aryl secondary amines.

[0083] Antisense Strand

[0084] The phrase “antisense strand” as used herein, refers to a polynucleotide that is substantially or 100% complementary, to a target nucleic acid of interest. An anti sense strand may be comprised of a polynucleotide that is RNA, DNA or chimeric RNA/DNA. For example, an antisense strand may be complementary, in whole or in part, to a molecule of messenger RNA, an RNA sequence that is not mRNA (e.g., tRNA, rRNA and hnRNA) or a sequence of DNA that is either coding or non-coding.

[0085] Complementary

[0086] The term “complementary” refers to the ability of polynucleotides to form base pairs with one another. Base pairs are typically formed by hydrogen bonds between nucleotide units in antiparallel polynucleotide strands. Complementary polynucleotide strands can base pair in the Watson-Crick manner (e.g., A to T, A to U, C to G), or in any other manner that allows for the formation of stable duplexes.

[0087] Perfect complementarity or 100% complementarity refers to the situation in which each nucleotide unit of one polynucleotide strand can hydrogen bond with each nucleotide unit of a second polynucleotide strand. Less than perfect complementarity refers to the situation in which some, but not all, nucleotide units of two strands can hydrogen bond with each other. For example, for two 20-mers, if only two base pairs on each strand can hydrogen bond with each other, the polynucleotide strands exhibit 10% complementarity. In the same example, if 18 base pairs on each strand can hydrogen bond with each other, the polynucleotide strands exhibit 90% complementarity. Substantial complementarity refers to polynucleotide strands exhibiting 90% or greater complementarity.

[0088] Conjugate and Terminal Conjugate

[0089] The term “conjugate” refers to a molecule or moiety that alters the physical properties of a polynucleotide such as those that increase stability and/or facilitate uptake of double stranded RNA by itself. A “terminal conjugate” may be attached directly or through a linker to the 3′ and/or 5′ end of a polynucleotide or double stranded polynucleotide. An internal conjugate may be attached directly or indirectly through a linker to a base, to the 2′ position of the ribose, or to other positions that do not interfere with Watson-Crick base pairing, for example, 5-aminoallyl uridine.

[0090] In a double stranded polynucleotide, one or both 5′ ends of the strands of polynucleotides comprising the double stranded polynucleotide can bear a conjugate, and/or one or both 3′ ends of the strands of polynucleotides comprising the double stranded polynucleotide can bear a conjugate.

[0091] Conjugates may, for example, be amino acids, peptides, polypeptides, proteins, antibodies, antigens, toxins, hormones, lipids, nucleotides, nucleosides, sugars, carbohydrates, polymers such as polyethylene glycol and polypropylene glycol, as well as analogs or derivatives of all of these classes of substances. Additional examples of conjugates also include steroids, such as cholesterol, phospholipids, di- and tri-acylglycerols, fatty acids, hydrocarbons that may or may not contain unsaturation or substitutions, enzyme substrates, biotin, digoxigenin, and polysaccharides. Still other examples include thioethers such as hexyl-S-tritylthiol, thiocholesterol, acyl chains such as dodecandiol or undecyl groups, phospholipids such as di-hexadecyl-rac-glycerol, triethylammonium 1,2-di-O-hexadecyl-rac-glycero-3-H-phosphonate, polyamines, polyethylene glycol, adamantane acetic acid, palmityl moieties, octadecylamine moieties, hexylaminocarbonyl-oxycholesterol, farnesyl, geranyl and geranylgeranyl moieties.

[0092] Conjugates can also be detectable labels. For example, conjugates can be fluorophores. Conjugates can include fluorophores such as TAMRA, BODIPY, Cyanine derivatives such as Cy3 or Cy5 Dabsyl, or any other suitable fluorophore known in the art.

[0093] A conjugate may be attached to any position on the terminal nucleotide that is convenient and that does not substantially interfere with the desired activity of the polynucleotide(s) that bear it, for example the 3′ or 5′ position of a ribosyl sugar. A conjugate substantially interferes with the desired activity of an siRNA if it adversely affects its functionality such that the ability of the siRNA to mediate RNA interference is reduced by greater than 80% in an in vitro assay employing cultured cells, where the functionality is measured at 24 hours post transfection.

[0094] Deoxynucleotide

[0095] The term “deoxynucleotide” refers to a nucleotide or polynucleotide lacking an OH group at the 2′ or 3′ position of a sugar moiety with appropriate bonding and/or 2′, 3′ terminal dideoxy, instead having a hydrogen bonded to the 2′ and/or 3′ carbon.

[0096] Deoxyribonucleotide

[0097] The terms “deoxyribonucleotide” and “DNA” refer to a nucleotide or polynucleotide comprising at least one ribosyl moiety that has an H at its 2′ position of a ribosyl moiety.

[0098] Functional Dose

[0099] A “functional dose” refers to a dose of siRNA that will be effective at causing a greater than or equal to 95% reduction in mRNA at levels of 100 nM at 24, 48, 72, and 96 hours following administration, while a “marginally functional dose” of siRNA will be effective at causing a greater than or equal to 50% reduction of mRNA at 100 nM at 24 hours following administration and a “non-functional dose” of RNA will cause a less than 50% reduction in mRNA levels at 100 nM at 24 hours following administration.

[0100] Halogen

[0101] The term “halogen” refers to an atom of either fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine or astatine. The phrase “2′halogen modified nucleotide” refers to a nucleotide unit having a sugar moiety that is modified with a halogen at the 2′ position, attached directly to the 2′ carbon.

[0102] Internucleotide Linkage

[0103] The phrase “internucleotide linkage” refers to the type of bond or link that is present between two nucleotide units in a polynucleotide and may be modified or unmodified. The phrase “modified internucleotide linkage” includes all modified internucleotide linkages now known in the art or that come to be known and that, from reading this disclosure, one skilled in the art will conclude is useful in connection with the present invention. Internucleotide linkages may have associated counterions, and the term is meant to include such counterions and any coordination complexes that can form at the internucleotide linkages.

[0104] Modifications of internucleotide linkages include, but are not limited to, phosphorothioates, phosphorodithioates, methylphosphonates, 5′-alkylenephosphonates, 5′-methylphosphonate, 3′-alkylene phosphonates, borontrifluoridates, borano phosphate esters and selenophosphates of 3′-5′ linkage or 2′-5′ linkage, phosphotriesters, thionoalkylphosphotriesters, hydrogen phosphonate linkages, alkyl phosphonates, alkylphosphonothioates, arylphosphonothioates, phosphoroselenoates, phosphorodiselenoates, phosphinates, phosphoramidates, 3′-alkylphosphoramidates, aminoalkylphosphoramidates, thionophosphoramidates, phosphoropiperazidates, phosphoroanilothioates, phosphoroanilidates, ketones, sulfones, sulfonamides, carbonates, carbamates, methylenehydrazos, methylenedimethylhydrazos, formacetals, thioformacetals, oximes, methyleneiminos, methylenemethyliminos, thioamidates, linkages with riboacetyl groups, aminoethyl glycine, silyl or siloxane linkages, alkyl or cycloalkyl linkages with or without heteroatoms of, for example, 1 to 10 carbons that can be saturated or unsaturated and/or substituted and/or contain heteroatoms, linkages with morpholino structures, amides, polyamides wherein the bases can be attached to the aza nitrogens of the backbone directly or indirectly, and combinations of such modified internucleotide linkages within a polynucleotide.

[0105] Linker

[0106] A “linker” is a moiety that attaches other moieties to each other such as a nucleotide and its conjugate. A linker may be distinguished from a conjugate in that while a conjugate increases the stability and/or ability of a molecule to be taken up by a cell, a linker merely attaches a conjugate to the molecule that is to be introduced into the cell.

[0107] By way of example, linkers can comprise modified or unmodified nucleotides, nucleosides, polymers, sugars arid other carbohydrates, polyethers such as, for example, polyethylene glycols, polyalcohols, polypropylenes, propylene glycols, mixtures of ethylene and propylene glycols, polyalkylamines, polyamines such as spermidine, polyesters such as poly(ethyl acrylate), polyphosphodiesters, and alkylenes. An example of a conjugate and its linker is cholesterol-TEG-phosphoramidites, wherein the cholesterol is the conjugate and the tetraethylene glycol and phosphate serve as linkers.

[0108] Nucleotide

[0109] The term “nucleotide” refers to a ribonucleotide or a deoxyribonucleotide or modified form thereof, as well as an analog thereof. Nucleotides include species that comprise purines, e.g., adenine, hypoxanthine, guanine, and their derivatives and analogs, as well as pyrimidines, e.g., cytosine, uracil, thymine, and their derivatives and analogs.

[0110] Nucleotide analogs include nucleotides having modifications in the chemical structure of the base, sugar and/or phosphate, including, but not limited to, 5-position pyrimidine modifications, 8-position purine modifications, modifications at cytosine exocyclic amines, and substitution of 5-bromo-uracil; and 2′-position sugar modifications, including but not limited to, sugar-modified ribonucleotides in which the 2′-OH is replaced by a group such as an H, OR, R, halo, SH, SR, NH₂, NHR, NR₂, or CN, wherein R is an alkyl moiety as defined-herein. Nucleotide analogs are also meant to include nucleotides with bases such as inosine, queuosine, xanthine, sugars such as 2′-methyl ribose, non-natural phosphodiester linkages such as methylphosphonates, phosphorothioates and peptides.

[0111] Modified bases refers to nucleotide bases such as, for example, adenine, guanine, cytosine, thymine, and uracil, xanthine, inosine, and queuosine that have been modified by the replacement or addition of one or more atoms or groups. Some examples of types of modifications that can comprise nucleotides that are modified with respect to the base moieties, include but are not limited to, alkylated, halogenated, thiolated, aminated, amidated, or acetylated bases, in various combinations. More specific include, for example, 5-propynyluridine, 5-propynylcytidine, 6-methyladenine, 6-methylguanine, N,N,-dimethyladenine, 2-propyladenine, 2-propylguanine, 2-aminoadenine, 1-methylinosine, 3-methyluridine, 5-methylcytidine, 5-methyluridine and other nucleotides having a modification at the 5 position, 5-(2-amino)propyl uridine, 5-halocytidine, 5-halouridine, 4-acetylcytidine, 1-methyladenosine, 2-methyladenosine, 3-methylcytidine, 6-methyluridine, 2-methylguanosine, 7-methylguanosine, 2,2-dimethylguanosine, 5-methylaminoethyluridine, 5-methyloxyuridine, deazanucleotides such as 7-deaza-adenosine, 6-azouridine, 6-azocytidine, 6-azothymidine, 5-methyl-2-thiouridine, other thio bases such as 2-thiouridine and 4-thiouridine and 2-thiocytidine, dihydrouridine, pseudouridine, queuosine, archaeosine, naphthyl and substituted naphthyl groups, any O- and N-alkylated purines and pyrimidines such as N6-methyladenosine, 5-methylcarbonylmethyluridine, uridine 5-oxyacetic acid, pyridine-4-one, pyridine-2-one, phenyl and modified phenyl groups such as aminophenol or 2,4,6-trimethoxy benzene, modified cytosines that act as G-clamp nucleotides, 8-substituted adenines and guanines, 5-substituted uracils and thymines, azapyrimidines, carboxyhydroxyalkyl nucleotides, carboxyalkylaminoalkyl nucleotides, and alkylcarbonylalkylated nucleotides. Modified nucleotides also include those nucleotides that are modified with respect to the sugar moiety, as well as nucleotides having sugars or analogs thereof that are not ribosyl. For example, the sugar moieties may be, or be based on, mannoses, arabinoses, glucopyranoses, galactopyranoses, 4′-thioribose, and other sugars, heterocycles, or carbocycles. The term nucleotide is also meant to include what are known in the art as universal bases. By way of example, universal bases include but are not limited to 3-nitropyrrole, 5-nitroindole, or nebularine.

[0112] Further, the term nucleotide also includes those species that have a detectable label, such as for example a radioactive or fluorescent moiety, or mass label attached to the nucleotide.

[0113] Nucleotide Unit

[0114] The phrase “nucleotide unit” refers to a single nucleotide residue and is comprised of a modified or unmodified nitrogenous base, a modified or unmodified sugar, and a modified or unmodified moiety that allows for linking of two nucleotides together or a conjugate that precludes further linkage.

[0115] Orthoester

[0116] The term “orthoester protected” or “orthoester modified” refers to modification of a sugar moiety in a nucleotide unit with an orthoester. Preferably, the sugar moiety is a ribosyl moiety. In general, orthoesters have the structure RC(OR′)₃ wherein R′ can be the same or different, R can be an H, and wherein the underscored C is the central carbon of the orthoester. The orthoesters of the invention are comprised of orthoesters wherein a carbon of a sugar moiety in a nucleotide unit is bonded to an oxygen, which is in turn bonded to the central carbon of the orthoester. To the central carbon of the orthoester is, in turn, bonded two oxygens, such that in total three oxygens bond to the central carbon of the orthoester. These two oxygens bonded to the central carbon (neither of which is bonded to the carbon of the sugar moiety) in turn, bond to carbon atoms that comprise two moieties that can be the same or different. For example, one of the oxygens can be bound to an ethyl moiety, and the other to an isopropyl moiety. In one example, R can be an H, one R′ can be a ribosyl moiety, and the other two R′ can be two 2-ethyl-hydroxyl moieties. Orthoesters can be placed at any position on the sugar moiety, such as, for example, on the 2′, 3′ and/or 5′ positions. Preferred orthoesters, and methods of making orthoester protected polynucleotides, are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,889,136 and 6,008,400, each herein incorporated by reference in their entirety.

[0117] Overhang

[0118] The term “overhang” refers to terminal non-base pairing nucleotides resulting from one strand extending, beyond the other strand within a doubled stranded polynucleotide. One or both of two polynucleotides that are capable of forming a duplex through hydrogen bonding of base pairs may have a 5′ and/or 3′ end that extends beyond the 3′ and/or 5′ end of complementarity shared by the two polynucleotides. The single-stranded region-extending beyond the 3′ and/or 5′ end of the duplex is referred to as an overhang.

[0119] Pharmaceutically Acceptable Carrier

[0120] The phrase “pharmaceutically acceptable carrier” refers to compositions that facilitate the introduction of dsRNA into a cell and includes but is not limited to solvents or dispersants, coatings, anti-infective agents, isotonic agents, agents that mediate absorption time or release of the inventive polynucleotides and double stranded polynucleotides.

[0121] Polynucleotide

[0122] The term “polynucleotide” refers to a polymers of nucleotides, and includes but is not limited to DNA, RNA, DNA/RNA hybrids including polynucleotide chains of regularly and irregularly alternating deoxyribosyl moieties and ribosyl moieties (i.e., wherein alternate nucleotide units have an —OH, then and —H, then an —OH, then an —H, and so on at the 2′ position of a sugar moiety), and modifications of these kinds of polynucleotides wherein the attachment of various entities or moieties to the nucleotide units at any position are included.

[0123] Polyribonucleotide

[0124] The term “polyribonucleotide” refers to a polynucleotide comprising two or more modified or unmodified ribonucleotides and/or their analogs.

[0125] Ribonucleotide and Ribonucleic Acid

[0126] The term “ribonucleotide” and the phrase “ribonucleic acid” (RNA), refer to a modified or unmodified nucleotide or polynucleotide comprising at least one ribonucleotide unit. A ribonucleotide unit comprises an oxygen attached to the 2′ position of a ribosyl moiety having a nitrogenous base attached in N-glycosidic linkage at the 1′ position of a ribosyl moiety, and a moiety that either allows for linkage to another nucleotide or precludes linkage.

[0127] RNA Interference and RNAi

[0128] The phrase “RNA interference” and the term “RNAi” refer to the process by which a polynucleotide or double stranded polynucleotide comprising at least one ribonucleotide unit exerts an effect on a biological process. The process includes but is not limited to gene silencing by degrading mRNA, interactions with tRNA, rRNA, hnRNA, cDNA and genomic DNA, as well as methylation of DNA and ancillary proteins.

[0129] Sense Strand

[0130] The phrase “sense strand” refers to a polynucleotide that has the same nucleotide sequence, in whole or in part, as a target nucleic acid such as a messenger RNA or a sequence of DNA.

[0131] siRNA or Short Interfering RNA

[0132] The term “siRNA” and the phrase “short interfering RNA” refer to a double stranded nucleic acid that is capable of performing RNAi and that is between 18 and 30 base pairs in length. Additionally, the term siRNA and the phrase “short interfering RNA” include nucleic acids that also contain moieties other than ribonucleotide moieties, including, but not limited to, modified nucleotides, modified internucleotide linkages, non-nucleotides, deoxynucleotides and analogs of the aforementioned nucleotides.

[0133] siRNAs can be duplexes, and can also comprise short hairpin RNAs, RNAs with loops as long as, for example, 4 to 23 or more nucleotides, RNAs with stem loop bulges, micro-RNAs, and short temporal RNAs. RNAs having loops or hairpin loops can include structures where the loops are connected to the stem by linkers such as flexible linkers. Flexible linkers can be comprised of a wide variety of chemical structures, as long as they are of sufficient length and materials to enable effective intramolecular hybridization of the stem elements. Typically, the length to be spanned is at least about 10-24 atoms.

[0134] Stabilized

[0135] The term “stabilized” refers to the ability of the dsRNAs to resist degradation while maintaining functionality and can be measured in terms of its half-life in the presence of, for example, biological materials such as serum. The half-life of an siRNA in, for example, serum refers to the time taken for the 50% of siRNA to be degraded.

[0136] Throughout the disclosure, where a range of values is provided, it is understood that each intervening value, to the tenth of the unit of the lower limit unless the context clearly dictates otherwise, between the upper and lower limit of that range, and any other stated or intervening value in that stated range, is encompassed within the invention. The upper and lower limits of these smaller ranges may independently be included in the smaller ranges, and are also encompassed within the invention, subject to any specifically excluded limit in the stated range. Where the stated range includes one or both of the limits, ranges excluding either or both of those included limits are also included in the invention.

Preferred Embodiments

[0137] According to a first embodiment, the present invention provides a double stranded polynucleotide. The double stranded polynucleotide has sense strand that comprises a polynucleotide comprised of at least one orthoester modified nucleotide, and an antisense strand that comprises a polynucleotide having at least one 2′ modified nucleotide unit. Preferably, the modified nucleotides are ribonucleotides or their analogs. Orthoesters can be placed at any position on the sugar moiety, such as, for example, on the 2′, 3′ and/or 5′ positions. Preferably, the orthoester moiety is at the 2′ position of the sugar moiety. Preferred orthoesters, and methods of making orthoester protected polynucleotides, are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,889,136 and 6,008,400, each herein incorporated by reference in their entirety. Preferably, orthoesters are attached at the 2′ position of a ribosyl moiety. Preferably the orthoester comprises two 2-ethyl-hydroxyl substituents.

[0138] The most preferred orthoester is illustrated below, and is also referred to herein as a 2′-ACE moiety:

Structure of 2′-ACE Protected RNA

[0139] The benefits of including orthoester groups on the sense strand can be seen by reference to FIGS. 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, and 2C.

[0140] The data of FIG. 1 were generated using an siRNA duplex targeting SEAP (human secreted alkaline phosphatase) synthesized using Dharmacon, Inc.'s proprietary ACE chemistry in several variants. These variants include naked, or unmodified, RNA; ACE protected RNA, wherein every 2′-OH is modified with an orthoester, and 2′ fluoro modified variants, wherein the fluorine is bonded to the 2′ carbon of each and every C and U.

[0141] Duplexes of siRNA can be comprised of sense and antisense strands. An array of all possible combinations of sense and antisense strands was created. With reference to the figures, the following nomenclature was used:

[0142] S—naked sense strand in an siRNA duplex

[0143] AS—naked antisense strand in an siRNA duplex

[0144] pS—2′ACE protected sense strand in an siRNA duplex

[0145] pAS—2′ACE protected antisense strand in an siRNA duplex

[0146] 2FS—sense strand in an siRNA duplex with all C and U's modified such that a fluorine atom is bound to the 2′ carbon of each C- and U-bearing nucleotide unit.

[0147] 2FAS—antisense strand in an siRNA duplex with all C and U's modified such that a fluorine atom is bound to the 2′ carbon or each C- and U-bearing nucleotide unit.

[0148] S—AS, refers to duplex siRNA formed from naked sense and naked antisense strands.

[0149] pS—AS, refers to duplex siRNA formed from an ACE modified sense strand and a naked antisense strand.

[0150] The duplexes were co-transfected using standard transfection protocols with the pAAV6 plasmid (SEAP expressing plasmid) (or in the HEK293s stably transfected with the SEAP) into HEK 293 human cells (the same pattern was observed when HeLas or MDA 75, or 3TELi (mouse) cell lines were used for transfection).

[0151] The level of siRNA induced SEAP silencing was determined at a different time points after transfection. (24, 48, 72, 96 or 144 hours) using SEAP detection kits from Clontech according to the manufacturer's protocols. The protein reduction levels are in good correspondence with the mRNA reduction levels (the levels of mRNA were measured using QuantiGene kits (Bayer). The level of siRNA induced toxicity was measured using AlmaBlue toxicity assay or the levels of expression of housekeeping gene (cyclophilin) or both. Unless specified, no significant toxicity was observed.

[0152] Each duplex was transfected into the cells at concentrations varying between 1 and 100 nanomolar (FIG. 1) and 10 picomolar to 1 micromolar (FIG. 2). In FIGS. 1 and 2 the effects of introduction of the ACE modifications on the sense and antisense strands of the siRNA duplex in combination with naked and 2′ fluoro modifications are shown.

[0153] The presence of the ACE modifications on the AS of the oligos significantly interferes with the siRNA duplex functionality. The ACE modified sense oligos were potent in the SEAP silencing independently whether they were used with naked or 2′ F modified AS oligos.

[0154] The extent of silencing was the same at 24, 48, 72 hours. The detectable reduction in the siRNA silencing was observed after 144 hours.

[0155]FIGS. 3 and 4 summarize siRNA functionality screens when AS (FIG. 3) or Sense (FIG. 4) strands were kept constant and screened in combination with the variety of modifications on the opposite strand.

[0156]FIGS. 5, 6, 7 and 8 present a more detailed data grouped based on the type of modification used.

[0157]FIG. 5 in particular demonstrates that phosphorothioate modifications are well tolerated when placed in the antisense strand in combination with naked, 2′ACE modified and 2′F modified sense strands. The major issue with phosphorothioate modifications is well detectable toxicity observed on day 2, 3 and 4 after transfection.

[0158]FIG. 6 further illustrates that phosphorothioate backbone modifications are acceptable both on the sense and antisense strands with the same limitation of nonspecifically induced toxicity.

[0159]FIG. 7 demonstrated that presence of 2′-O-methyl modifications are well tolerated on sense and but not antisense strands of the siRNA duplex. It is worth mentioning that the functional siRNA duplex is formed by the combination of the 2′-O-methyl modified AS strand and deoxyribohybrid in the sense strand.

[0160]FIG. 8 demonstrates the suitability of the deoxyribohybrid type modification in RNA interference. Deoxyribohybrids are RNA/DNA hybrid oligos where deoxy and ribo entities are incorporated together in an oligo in, for example, a sequence of alternating deoxy- and ribonucleotides. It is important in the design of these kinds of oligos to keep the size of continuous DNA/RNA duplex stretches shorter than 5 nucleotides to avoid the induction of RNAse H activity. The deoxyribohybrids were functional both in sense and antisense strands in combination with 2′ fluoro and 2′ACE modified oligos. Also the deoxyribohybrid sense strand was the only modification supporting siRNA activity when the antisense strand was modified with 2′-O-methyl.

[0161]FIG. 9 demonstrates the utility of a conjugate comprising cholesterol for improvement of the potency of ACE and 2′ fluoro modified siRNAs. Employing a conjugate comprising cholesterol on the sense strand alleviates negative effects due to modifications to the sense strand, but does not ameliorate negative effects due to modifications to the antisense strand.

[0162]FIG. 10 shows equivalent data for a PEG conjugate on the sense strand.

[0163]FIG. 11 demonstrates that the presence of a conjugate comprising cholesterol improves not only the potency but the effective dose of modified siRNA oligos.

[0164]FIG. 12 shows the structures of protected RNA nucleoside phosphoramidites used in Dharmacon's 2′-ACE RNA synthesis chemistry.

[0165]FIG. 13 outlines an RNA synthesis cycle. Preferably, the cycle is carried out in an automated fashion on a suitable synthesizing machine. In step (i), the incoming phosphoramidite (here, bearing a uridine as nitrogenous base), can bear any acceptable group on the phosphoramidite moiety at the 3′ position in place of the methyl group shown. For example, an alkyl group or a cyanoethyl group can be employed at that position. This RNA synthesis cycle can be carried out, with certain changes, when synthesizing polynucleotides having modified internucleotide linkages, and/or when synthesizing polynucleotides having other modifications, such as at the 2′ position, as described hereinafter.

[0166]FIG. 14 illustrates the structure of a 2′-ACE protected RNA product immediately prior to 2′ deprotection. If it is desired to retain the orthoester at the 2′ position, this 2′ deprotection step is not carried out.

[0167] For a 19-mer duplex having a di-dT overhang at both the 5′ and 3′ end, A2′nC 2′-n-U 2′nC 2′-n-U 2′nC U G A C A 2′-n-U A 2′nC A 2′-N-U 2′nC A 2′nC dT dT (SEQ. ID NO 9) with 2′ amine modified nucleotide units at the second, fourth, twelfth, and sixteenth position of the sense strand, significant loss in functionality occurred whether the antisense strand was naked, 2′ fluoro modified at all C's and U's, was a deoxyhybrid comprising alternating ribo and deoxyribonucleotide units, or had 2′-O-methyl modifications. Preferably, the sense strand does not comprise 2′ amino modifications at the second, fourth, twelfth and sixteenth positions.

[0168] On a double stranded 19-mer polyribonucleotide with a 3′ di-dT overhang (see SEQ. ID NOs. 171-314), replacement of any ribonucleotide unit with a deoxyribonucleotide unit does not significantly affect the functionality of the 19-mer in RNAi, whether the modification is on the sense or the antisense strand (see FIG. 15A). On the same double stranded 19-mer, replacement of two adjacent ribonucleotide units with two deoxyribonucleotide units in tandem does not significantly affect the functionality of the 19-mer in RNAi. FIG. 151B illustrates that when positions 1 and 2, 3 and 4, 5 and 6, and so on, are independently modified to be deoxyribonucleotides, functionality is not significantly affected when the modifications are borne on the sense strand and exhibit only a slight negative effect on functionality when the modifications are on the antisense strand. On the same double stranded 19-mer, replacement of three adjacent ribonucleotide units with three deoxyribonucleotide units in tandem does not significantly affect the functionality if the modification is on the antisense strand, but can significantly affect functionality if the modified units are the first through third or seventh through ninth units. In this experiment, units 1 to 3, 4 to 6, 7 to 9, and so on of the polyribonucleotide were independently replaced with deoxyribonucleotide units (See FIG. 15C).

[0169] On the same double stranded 19-mer polyribonucleotide with 3′ di-dT overhang, modification of any individual unit with a 2′-O-methyl moiety does not significantly affect the functionality of the 19-mer in RNAi, whether the modification is on the sense or the antisense strand (see FIG. 16A). Using the same the same double stranded 19-mer, replacement of two adjacent ribonucleotide units with two 2′-O-methyl modifications in tandem does not significantly affect the functionality of the 19-mer in RNAi unless the modifications are placed at the first and second or thirteenth and fourteenth positions of the antisense strand, or the seventh and eighth position of the sense strand (see FIG. 16B). Most notably, the first and second positions of the antisense strand should not bear 2′-O-methyl modifications if functionality is to be preserved. Using the same double stranded 19-mer, replacement of three adjacent ribonucleotide units with 2′-O-methyl modifications in tandem does not significantly affect the functionality if the modifications are on the antisense strand at positions other than the first through third positions (See FIG. 16C). In this experiment, positions 1 to 3, 4 to 6, 7 to 9, and so on of the polyribonucleotide were independently modified with 2′O-methyl moieties.

[0170] Modification of the same polyribonucleotide with either a single 2′-deoxy moiety or a single 2′O-methyl moiety has no significant affect on functionality. Modification of the first and second or first, second and third positions of the antisense strand with two or more tandem 2′-O-methyl moieties can significantly reduce functionality. Positions 7 through 9 on the sense strand and 13 through 15 on the antisense strand are sensitive to two or more tandem 2′-O-methyl modifications. Thus, preferably the antisense strand does not comprise 2′-O-methyl modifications at the first and second; the first, second and third; the thirteenth and fourteenth; and the thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth positions.

[0171] As a matter of practicality it is more economical to synthesize a sense strand in which all of the nucleotides are modified by an orthoester group, rather than a sense strand in which only selected nucleotides are so modified. However, in theory, if a practical means were developed to synthesize sense strands in which only certain nucleotides were modified, then those polynucleotides could be used in the present invention.

[0172] Preferably, the 2′ modified nucleotide is selected from the group consisting of a 2′ halogen modified nucleotide, a 2′ amine modified nucleotide, a 2′-O-alkyl modified nucleotide, and a 2′ alkyl modified nucleotide. Where the modification is a halogen, the halogen is preferably fluorine. When the modification is fluorine, preferably it is attached to one or more nucleotides comprising a cytosine or a uracil base moiety.

[0173] Where the 2′ modified nucleotide is a 2′ amine modified nucleotide, the amine is preferably —NH₂. Where the 2′ modified nucleotide is a 2′-O-alkyl modification, preferably the modification is a 2′-O-methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, butyl, or isobutyl moiety and most preferably, the 2′-O-alkyl modification is a 2′-O-methyl moiety. Where the 2′ modified nucleotide is a 2′-alkyl modification, preferably the modification is a 2′ methyl modification, wherein the carbon of the methyl moiety is attached directly to the 2′ carbon of the sugar moiety.

[0174] For modifications of the 2′ group on the antisense strand, preferably no modification will appear at positions 8-11, and more preferably positions 7-12 will be unmodified. The positions are preferably not modified because they must retain the ability to recognize the protein complex associated with RNAi.

[0175]FIG. 2C demonstrates that siRNA effects start to fade out 144 hours after transfection. The dose as well as potency of the modified oligos were comparable to the naked siRNA duplex.

[0176] According to a second embodiment, the present invention provides a double stranded polynucleotide comprising a sense strand where the sense strand comprises a polynucleotide having at least one orthoester modified nucleotide as provided for according to the first embodiment; an antisense strand comprising a polynucleotide that has at least one 2′ modified nucleotide as provided for according to the first embodiment; and a conjugate.

[0177] The conjugate within this embodiment is preferably selected from the group consisting of amino acids, peptides, polypeptides, proteins, sugars, carbohydrates, lipids, polymers, nucleotides, polynucleotides, and combinations thereof. More preferably it is selected from the group consisting of cholesterol, polyethylene glycol, antigens, antibodies, and receptor ligands. Even more preferably, the conjugate comprises cholesterol or polyethylene glycol. Most preferably, the conjugate comprises cholesterol and is linked to the 5′ terminal nucleotide unit of the sense strand at the 5′ position.

[0178] Introduction of a cholesterol-containing conjugate at the 5′ terminus of the sense strand resulted in an increase in potency for orthoester modified and 2′ antisense modified siRNAs that was comparable to or even superior to the naked, or unmodified, duplexes. See FIG. 9 and 11. A 5′ cholesterol modification of the sense strand resulted in a decrease in the functionally effective dose for orthoester modified and 2′ fluorine modified siRNAs that were comparable or even superior to the corresponding naked duplexes.

[0179]FIG. 9 demonstrates the utility of the cholesterol modification for improvement of the potency of ACE and 2′ fluoro modified siRNAs. The positive cholesterol effect was observed with the modifications introduced mainly on the sense and non antisense strands.

[0180]FIG. 10 shows equivalent data for PEG sense strand modifications.

[0181]FIG. 11 demonstrates that the presence of cholesterol modifications improves not only the potency but the effective dose of modified siRNA oligos Preferably, a single conjugate is employed. Most preferably, the conjugate is attached to the 5′ terminus of the sense strand. In order of decreasing preference, the single conjugate can be attached to the 3′ terminus of the sense strand, the 3′ terminus of the antisense strand, and the 5′ terminus of the antisense strand.

[0182] Attachment of a conjugate to an siRNA can promote uptake of the siRNA passively, that is, in the absence of transfection agents such as lipids or calcium chloride. For example, attachment of a cholesterol moiety to the 5′ end at the 5′ position of the sense strand of SEQ. ID NOs. 1-16 results in RNAi in the absence of transfection agents (see FIG. 18).

[0183] According to a third embodiment, the present invention provides a double stranded polynucleotide that has a sense strand comprised of at least one orthoester modified nucleotide, an antisense strand, and a conjugate. In this embodiment, the orthoester modification of the first embodiment may be used in combination with the conjugate of the second embodiment.

[0184] According to a fourth embodiment, the present invention provides a double stranded polynucleotide that has a sense strand, an antisense strand, and a conjugate, wherein the sense strand and/or the antisense strand has at least one 2′ modified nucleotide. The 2′modified nucleotide of this embodiment is preferably selected according to the same parameters as the 2′modified nucleotide of the first embodiment. Similarly, the conjugate is preferably selected according to the same parameters as the conjugate is selected in the above described second embodiment.

[0185] According to a fifth embodiment, the present invention provides a double stranded polyribonucleotide having a sense strand comprised of at least one orthoester modified nucleotide, an antisense strand comprised of at least one 2′ modified nucleotide selected from the group consisting of a 2′ halogen modified nucleotide, a 2′ amine modified nucleotide, a 2′-O-alkyl modified nucleotide, and a 2′ alkyl modified nucleotide, and a conjugate selected from the group consisting of amino acids, peptides, polypeptides, proteins, sugars, carbohydrates, lipids, polymers, nucleotides, polynucleotides, and combinations thereof, wherein the polyribonucleotide comprises between 18 and 30 nucleotide base pairs.

[0186] The orthoester of this embodiment is selected according to the criteria for selecting the orthoester of the first embodiment. Where the 2′ modification is a halogen, preferably it is fluorine and is attached to at least one C- and U-containing nucleotide units of the antisense strand. Where the 2′ modified nucleotide is a 2′ amine modified nucleotide, the amine is preferably —NH₂. Where the 2′ modified nucleotide is a 2′-O-alkyl modification, preferably it is a 2′-O-methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, butyl, or isobutyl moiety and most preferably, the 2′-O-alkyl modification is a 2′-O-methyl moiety. Where the 2′ modified nucleotide is a 2′ alkyl modification, preferably it is a 2′ methyl modification, wherein the carbon of the methyl moiety is attached directly to the 2′ carbon of the sugar moiety.

[0187] According to a sixth embodiment, the present invention includes a composition comprising the structures below:

[0188] wherein each of B₁ and B₂ is a nitrogenous base, heterocycle or carbocycle; X is selected from the group consisting of O, S, C, and N; W is selected from the group consisting of an OH, a phosphate, a phosphate ester, a phosphodiester, a phosphotriester, a modified internucleotide linkage, a conjugate, a nucleotide, and a polynucleotide; R1 is an orthoester; R2 is selected from the group consisting of a 2′-O-alkyl group, an alkyl group, an amine, and a halogen; and Y is a nucleotide or polynucleotide. Where R2 is a halogen, the halogen is preferably a fluorine. Where R2 is a fluorine, the fluorine is preferably attached to one or more C- and U-containing nucleotide units. Where R2 is an amine, the amine is preferably —NH₂. Where R2 is a 2′-O-alkyl modification, preferably it is a 2′-O-methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, butyl, or isobutyl moiety and most preferably a 2′-O-methyl moiety. Where R2 is a 2′ alkyl modification, preferably it is a 2′ methyl modification, wherein the carbon of the methyl moiety is attached directly to the 2′ carbon of the sugar moiety.

[0189] R1, the orthoester, of this embodiment is selected according to the parameters for selecting the orthoester of the first embodiment.

[0190] The dashed lines in the formula indicate interaction by hydrogen bonding between nitrogenous bases. Preferably, B₁ and B₂ are naturally occurring nitrogenous bases such as, for example, adenine, thymine, guanine, cytosine, uracil, xanthine, hypoxanthine, and queuosine or analogs thereof. Preferably, X is an O.

[0191] With respect to each of the above-described embodiments, the double stranded polynucleotides can be of any length, but preferably are 18-30 nucleotide base pairs, more preferably 18-19 base pairs, excluding any overhang. By using double stranded polynucleotides of less than about 30 base pairs in length one can avoid nonspecific processes, such as interferon-related responses, which can reduce the functionality of an siRNA application, while retaining a functional response in RNA interference applications. Additionally, preferably the nucleotides are ribonucleotides.

[0192] In the above-described embodiments, overhangs can be present on either or both strands, at either or both ends. Preferably, if a double stranded polynucleotide has overhang, it is one to six nucleotide units in length, more preferably two to three, and most preferably two, and is located at the 3′ end of each strand of the double stranded polynucleotide. However, siRNAs with blunt ends are functional. Overhangs of 2 nucleotides are most preferred.

[0193] Similarly in the above-described embodiments, either or both strands of the double stranded polynucleotide can have one or more modified internucleotide linkages.

[0194] Preferably, the modified internucleotide linkages are selected from the group consisting of phosphorothioates and phosphorodithioates. Additionally, preferably, the polynucleotides comprise more than 4 modified internucleotide linkages. More preferably, the polynucleotides of the invention comprise more than 8 modified internucleotide linkages. Most preferably, about 10 modified internucleotide linkages are employed. For the greatest amount of stability, complete modification is preferred; however, a number of factors affect how many modified linkages can be employed in practice. These factors include the degree of stability conferred by the linkage, the degree to which the linkage affects functionality, the ability to introduce the linkage chemically, and the toxicity of the linkage. Preferably, modifications are localized on the 3′ and 5′ ends to protect against exonuclease activity.

[0195] The polynucleotides of the present invention are stabilized. The half-lives of the stabilized siRNA of the invention are from 20 seconds to 100 or more hours. Preferably, the stabilized siRNAs of the invention display half-lives of 1 to 10 hours. More preferably, the stabilized siRNAs of the invention display half-lives of 11 to 100 hours.

[0196] Most preferably, the stabilized siRNAs of the invention display half-lives in excess of 100 hours. Additionally, preferably the effect of the siRNAs will survive cell division for at least one or more generations.

[0197] The polynucleotides of the invention exhibit enhanced stability in the presence of human serum. Preferably, the half life of a 19-mer duplex in human serum is from several minutes to 24 hours. More preferably, the half life of a 19-mer duplex in human serum is from 24 hours to 3 days. Most preferably, the half life of a 19-mer duplex in human serum if from 3 to 20 or more days.

[0198] For a 19-mer polyribonucleotide duplex comprising an antisense strand with deoxyribonucleic modifications at the second, fourth, sixth, fourteenth, sixteenth, and eighteenth positions, exposure to fetal bovine serum for half an hour at 37 degrees Centigrade resulted in protection of the fourth and sixth positions from degradation, presumably by serum nucleases. Similarly, for a 19-mer polyribonucleotide duplex comprising 2′-O-methyl modifications on the antisense strand at the second through sixth, twelfth, fourteenth, sixteenth and seventeenth, and nineteenth positions resulted in protection of these positions from degradation by serum nucleases. Introduction of phosphorothioate modifications in the antisense strand for a 19-mer polyribonucleotide duplex at between nucleotide units one through six and thirteen through nineteen rendered the modified internucleotide linkages resistant to serum nuclease degradation. However, a 19-mer modified with an ACE orthoester moiety at each 2′ position of an antisense strand did not confer stability in human serum, presumably due to the action not of serum ribonucleases but of serum phosphodiesterases.

[0199] Modifications at the 2′ position in the antisense strand of a polyribonucleotide duplex, at C and U nucleotide units, greatly enhance the stability of the polyribonucleotide duplex in serum. FIG. 17 illustrates stability as a function of type of modification at the 2′ position on both the sense and antisense strands for 2′-O-methyl (SEQ. ID NO. 13), for 2′F (5′-2′ G fU G A fU G fU A fU G fU fC A G A G A G fU dT dT-3′) (SEQ. ID NO. 17); for phosphorothioate internucleotide linkages (SEQ. ID. NOs. 10 and 11) and for ACE-protected (SEQ. ID. NOs. 3 and 4). The vertical axis represents the percent of nondegraded polynucleotide versus a control. Thus, the higher the percent stability relative to control, the less degradation observed. From FIG. 17 it is apparent that modifying the sense strand is sufficient to achieve stabilization.

[0200] Modification of each C and each U with either a 2′-O-methyl moiety or a 2′ fluoro moiety results in complete stabilization of the sense and the antisense strand.

[0201] Annealing a stable sense strand, such as one having 2′ fluoro or 2′-O-methyl modifications, to a naked antisense strand results in improved stability.

[0202] The compositions of the invention can be made according to Dharmacon's RNA synthesis chemistry, which is based on a novel protecting group scheme. A new class of silyl ethers is used to protect the 5′-hydroxyl (5′-SIL) in combination with an acid-labile orthoester protecting group on the 2′-hydroxyl (2′-ACE). This set of protecting groups is then used with standard phosphoramidite solid-phase synthesis technology. The structures of some protected and functionalized ribonucleotide phosphoramidites are as illustrated in FIG. 12.

[0203] According to a seventh embodiment, the present invention provides a method of performing RNA interference. This method is comprised of exposing a double stranded polynucleotide to a target nucleic acid in order to perform RNAi. Under this method, the double stranded polynucleotide is comprised of a sense strand and an antisense strand, and at least one of said sense strand and said antisense strand comprises at least one orthoester modified nucleotide.

[0204] Preferably, the polynucleotides of the antisense strand exhibit 90% or more complementarity to the target nucleic acid of interest. More preferably, the polynucleotides antisense strand of the invention exhibit 99% or more complementarity to the target nucleic acid of interest. Most preferably, the polynucleotides of the invention are perfectly complementary to the target nucleic acid of interest over at least 18 to 19 contiguous bases.

[0205] Preferably, the at least one orthoester modified nucleotide is located on the sense strand, and the composition of the orthoester is defined by the parameters described above for the first embodiment.

[0206] In addition to the orthoester modification, any of the above described other modifications may also be present when using this method. For example, the antisense strand preferably comprises at least one modified nucleotide selected from the group consisting of a 2′ halogen modified nucleotide, a 2′ amine modified nucleotide, a 2′-O-alkyl modified nucleotide and a 2′ alkyl modified nucleotide. Where the modified nucleotide is a 2′ halogen modified nucleotide, the halogen is preferably a fluorine.

[0207] Where the halogen is a fluorine, the fluorine is preferably attached to C- and U-containing nucleotide units. Where the 2′ modification is an amine, preferably the amine is —NH₂. Where the 2′ modification is a 2′-O-alkyl group, preferably the group is methoxy, —OCH₃. Where the 2′ modification is an alkyl group, preferably the modification is a methyl group, —CH₃. Further, preferably none of these modifications occur at nucleotides 8-11, and more preferably none of the occur at positions 7-12 of the antisense strand.

[0208] The method can also be carried out wherein the double stranded polynucleotide comprises a 5′ conjugate. The conjugate can be selected according to the above-described criteria for selecting conjugates.

[0209] When using these methods, the double stranded polynucleotide can be of any number of base pairs, but is preferably is 18-30 base pairs, and more preferably is 19 base pairs. Additionally preferably the polynucleotide comprises an antisense strand and a sense strand of ribonucleotides.

[0210] Overhangs of one or more base pairs at the 3′ and/or 5′ terminal nucleotide units on either or both strands can also be present according to the above-described parameters for overhangs.

[0211] According to an eighth embodiment, the present invention provides a method of performing RNA interference, comprised of exposing a double stranded polynucleotide to a target nucleic acid, wherein the double stranded polynucleotide is comprised of a sense strand, an antisense strand, and a conjugate, where either the sense strand or the antisense strand comprises a 2′ modified nucleotide. Preferably, the polynucleotides of this embodiment of the invention exhibit the same degree of complementarity as in the previous example.

[0212] According to this embodiment, the antisense strand preferably comprises at least one nucleotide selected from the group consisting of a 2′ halogen modified nucleotide, a 2′ amine modified nucleotide, a 2′-O-alkyl modified nucleotide and a 2′ alkyl modified nucleotide. The modification may be on the antisense strand and/or on the sense strand. Where the modified nucleotide is a 2′ halogen modified nucleotide, the halogen is preferably fluorine. Where the halogen is fluorine, the fluorine is preferably attached to at least one C- or U-containing nucleotides. The preferred 2′ amine modification is —NH₂. The preferred 2′-O-alkyl modification is —OCH₃. The preferred 2′ alkyl modification is —CH₃.

[0213] The method can also be carried out wherein the double stranded polynucleotide comprises a conjugate. The conjugate is selected according to the parameters for selecting the above-described conjugates. The double stranded polynucleotide can be of any number of base pairs, but as with the previous embodiment is preferably 18-30 base pairs, most preferably 18-19 base pairs. Similarly, overhangs of one or more base pairs on the 3′ and/or 5′ terminal nucleotide units on either or both strands can be present. Further, either the sense or antisense strand can comprise at least one modified internucleotide linkage, which preferably is selected from the group consisting of phosphorothioate linkages and phosphorodithioate linkages. Preferably the sense and antisense strands are polyribonucleotides.

[0214] Each of the aforementioned embodiments permits the conducting of efficient RNAi interference because the polynucleotide is more stable than naked polynucleotides. Unlike naked polynucleotides, the polynucleotides of the present invention will resist degradation by nucleases and other substances that are present in blood, serum and other biological media.

[0215] An additional surprising benefit of the present invention is that it minimizes nonspecific RNA interference. Nonspecific RNA interference occurs when a sense strand silences or partially silences the function of untargeted genes. Orthoester modifications and the other modifications described herein, alone or in combination with one another, can be employed in the sense strand to reduce or prevent such nonspecific RNA interference.

[0216] In reducing nonspecific RNA interference, preferably sense strand modifications are made at the 2′ position at the 8^(th), 9^(th), 10^(th), or 11^(th) nucleotide from the 5′ terminus, with the 5′ terminal nucleotide designated as the 1^(st). More preferably, all of the 8^(th), 9^(th), 10^(th) and 11^(th) nucleotides are modified at the 2′ position. Most preferably, the 8^(th), 9^(th), 10^(th) and 11^(th) nucleotides are all modified at the 2′ position and the modification is an orthoester.

[0217] In yet another embodiment, the invention provides a method of performing RNA interference, said method comprising exposing a double stranded polynucleotide to a target nucleic acid, wherein said double stranded polynucleotide is comprised of a sense strand and an antisense strand, and wherein said sense strand is substantially nonfunctional. By “substantially nonfunctional” is meant that the sense strand is incapable of inhibiting expression by 50% or more. Thus, a “substantially nonfunctional” sense strand is one that inhibits expression of non-target mRNAs by less than 50%. An added advantage of the invention is an enhanced stability in serum-containing media and serum.

[0218] According to this embodiment, the sense strand can comprise at least one 2′-O-alkyl modification, at least one cytosine- or uracil-containing nucleotide base, wherein the at least one cytosine- or uracil-containing nucleotide base has a 2′-O-methyl modification. Preferably, the 2′-O-alkyl modification is a 2′-O-methyl modification. More preferably, the 2′O-alkyl modification is a 2′-O-methyl modification is on the first, second, eighteenth and/or nineteenth nucleotide base.

[0219] The sense strand can further comprise a conjugate. Preferably, the conjugate is cholesterol. Preferably, the cholesterol is attached to the 5′ and/or 3′ end of the sense strand. Modification of an siRNA duplex with cholesterol drastically increases the duplex's affinity for albumin and other serum proteins, thus altering the biodistribution of the duplex without any significant toxicity.

[0220] The sense strand can comprise a cap on its 3′ end. Preferably, the cap is an inverted deoxythymidine or two consecutive 2′O-methyl modified bases at the end positions (nuleotides 18 and 19).

[0221] The antisense strand can comprise at least one modified nucleotide. Preferably, the at least one modified nucleotide is a 2′-halogen modified nucleotide. Most preferably, the modified nucleotide is a 2′-fluorine modified nucleotide.

[0222] Where the sense strand comprises one or more cytosine- and/or uracil-containing nucleotide bases, each of the one or more cytosine- and/or uracil-containing nucleotide bases can be 2′-fluorine modified.

[0223] In yet another embodiment, the invention provides a method of performing RNA interference, said method comprising exposing a double stranded polynucleotide to a target nucleic acid, wherein said double stranded polynucleotide comprises: (a) a conjugate; (b) a sense strand comprising at least one 2′-O-alkyl modification, wherein said sense strand is substantially nonfunctional; and, (c) an antisense strand comprising at least one 2′-fluorine modification, wherein said sense and antisense strands form a duplex of 18-30 base pairs. Preferably, the least one 2′-O-alkyl modification is on the first, second, eighteenth and/or nineteenth nucleotide base. Preferably, the conjugate is cholesterol. Preferably, the cholesterol is attached to the 5′ and/or 3′ end of the sense strand.

[0224] The sense strand can further comprises a cap on its 3′ end. Preferably, the cap is an inverted deoxythymidine (idT) or two consecutive 2′O-methyl modified bases at the end positions (nuleotides 18 and 19).

[0225] The advantages of the present invention include allowing modifications of the sense strand of the siRNA duplex that promote the directionality of RISC complex assembly and prevent the sense strand from functioning as an antisense strand in gene silencing. The inventors have systematically studied the effects of using siRNAs having various modifications on the efficiency of siRNA-mediated silencing. The inventors have found that modification of each position on a sense and antisense strand with a 2′-deoxy or a 2′-O-methyl modification did not interfere with siRNA function. Where tandem blocks of 2 or 3 such modifications were used, patters of well-tolerated modifications are different between the sense and antisense strands. siRNA duplexes having positions 1 and 2 of the sense strand modified with 2-O-methyl were fully functional. But modification of the same positions in the antisense strand resulted in completely nonfunctional siRNAs. See FIGS. 19-31. Phosphorylation of the antisense strand at its 5′ end partially recovered antisense strand functionality.

[0226] The modifications described herein are an inexpensive, reliable, and non-toxic method of modifying siRNA duplexes such that a sense strand will be substantially unable to function as an antisense strand. The practical effect of this is that siRNA specificity and potency will be increased. Recent microarray analysis has suggested that the presence of 11 nucleotides is sufficient to induce nonspecific silencing, and that the homology present within a sense strand of an siRNA duplex constitutes at least half of non-specific activity. Thus, if the nonspecific activity of the sense strand is blocked, the duplex specificity should increase at least two-fold. This would also have the effect of shifting the equilibrium toward a functional RISC formation, lowering the siRNA concentration required as well.

[0227] The inventors provide modifications that are well tolerated and increase the stability of an siRNA duplex in the presence of serum, such as human serum. Stabilizing modification of the sense strand of an siRNA duplex, alone, can confer some stability to a non-modified, or naked, antisense strand. Modification of every C and U of a sense strand with a 2′-O-alkyl modification, such as a 2′-O-methyl moiety, is very effective for stabilization of some sequences but not for others. The inventors discovered that 5′-O-methyl modification of the 5′ terminal and 3′ terminal nucleotides is important. As the data herein describe, modification at positions 1, 2, 18 and 19 doe not interfere with duplex performance. FIG. 32 demonstrates that the half-life of the anti SEAP siRNA 2217 was increased from 10 minutes to 5 hours when the sense strand of the duplex was modified with O-methyls in the above manner. Modification of the 3′ end by idT is important because the dTdT version of the antisense strand was twice as less stable. This mode of modification can be applied to any sequence, because the antisense strand is left naked. Modification in this manner is also expected to result in a low level of non-specific effects compared to fully modified siRNAs.

[0228] A half-life of several hours in serum should be sufficient to insure effective delivery of an siRNA, since intracellular siRNA is stabilized by the RISC complex. FIG. 34 shows the stability of the siRNA duplex when the sense strand is modified with O-methyls in the manner described above, and every C and U of the antisense strand is modified with a 2′-fluorine modification. This formulation is stable in human serum for more than 5 days. The functionality of this type of formulation is sequence dependent, but is significantly improved by the presence of cholesterol on the 5′ end of the sense strand.

[0229] Modification of an siRNA with a cholesterol conjugate has another unexpected feature. siRNAs modified with cholesterol display very high affinity for albumin and other serum-containing proteins. See FIG. 33. Serum protein affinity has proven useful in previous studies of antisense biodistribution in the mouse. The presence of phosphothio modifications is responsible for the majority of nonspecific antisense binding activity, but was proven beneficial for in vivo antisense applications, mainly because of high affinity to serum proteins and thus altered pharmacokinetic behavior. Cholesterol modified siRNAs display the advantage of serum protein affinity without the disadvantage of increased nonspecificity of phosphothio modifications.

[0230] Once synthesized, the polynucleotides of the present invention may immediately used or be stored for future use. Preferably, the polynucleotides of the invention are stored as duplexes in a suitable buffer. Many buffers are known in the art suitable for storing siRNAs. For example, the buffer may be comprised of 100 mM KCl, 30 mM HEPES-pH 7.5, and 1 mM MgCl₂. Preferably, the double stranded polynucleotides of the present invention retain 30% to 100% of their activity when stored in such a buffer at 4° C. for one year. More preferably, they retain 80% to 100% of their biological activity when stored in such a buffer at 4° C. for one year. Alternatively, the compositions can be stored at −20° C. in such a buffer for at least a year or more. Preferably, storage for a year or more at −20° C. results in less than a 50% decrease in biological activity. More preferably, storage for a year or more at −20° C. results in less than a 20% decrease in biological activity after a year or more. Most preferably, storage for a year or more at −20° C. results in less than a 10% decrease in biological activity.

[0231] In order to ensure stability of the siRNA pools prior to usage, they may be retained in dried-down form at −20° C. until they are ready for use. Prior to usage, they should be resuspended; however, once resuspended, for example, in the aforementioned buffer, they should be kept at −20° C. until used. The aforementioned buffer, prior to use, may be stored at approximately 4° C. or room temperature. Effective temperatures at which to conduct transfection are well known to persons skilled in the art, and include for example, room temperature.

[0232] Because the ability of the dsRNA of the present invention to retain functionality and to resist degradation is not dependent on the sequence of the bases, the cell type, or the species into which it is introduced, the present invention is applicable across a broad range of organisms, including but not limited plants, animals, protozoa, bacteria, viruses and fungi. The present invention is particularly advantageous for use in mammals such as cattle, horse, goats, pigs, sheep, canines, rodents such as hamsters, mice, and rats, and primates such as, gorillas, chimpanzees, and humans.

[0233] The present invention may be used advantageously with diverse cell types, including germ cell lines and somatic cells. The cells may be stem cells or differentiated cells. For example, the cell types may be embryonic cells, oocytes sperm cells, adipocytes, fibroblasts, myocytes, cardiomyocytes, endothelium, neurons, glia, blood cells, megakaryocytes, lymphocytes, macrophages, neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils, mast cells, leukocytes, granulocytes, keratinocytes, chondrocytes, osteoblasts, osteoclasts, hepatocytes and cells of the endocrine or exocrine glands.

[0234] The present invention is applicable for use for employing RNA interference against a broad range of genes, including but not limited to the 45,000 genes of a human genome, such as those implicated in diseases such as diabetes, Alzheimer's and cancer, as well as all genes in the genomes of the aforementioned organisms.

[0235] The polynucleotides of the present invention may be administered to a cell by any method that is now known or that comes to be known and that from reading this disclosure, one skilled in the art would conclude would be useful with the present invention. For example, the polynucleotides may be passively delivered to cells.

[0236] Passive uptake of modified polynucleotides can be modulated, for example, by the presence of a conjugate such as a polyethylene glycol moiety or a cholesterol moiety at the 5′ terminal of the sense strand and/or, in appropriate circumstances, a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

[0237] Preferably, the polynucleotides are double stranded when they are administered.

[0238] Other methods include, but are not limited to, transfection techniques employing DEAE-Dextran, calcium phosphate, cationic lipids/liposomes, microinjection, electroporation, immunoporation, and coupling of the polynucleotides to specific conjugates or ligands such as antibodies, antigens, or receptors.

[0239] Further, the stabilized dsRNA of the present invention may be used in a diverse set of applications, including but not limited to basic research, drug discovery and development, diagnostics and therapeutics. For example, the present invention may be used to validate whether a gene product is a target for drug discovery or development. In this application, the mRNA that corresponds to a target nucleic acid sequence of interest is identified for targeted degradation. Inventive polynucleotides that are specific for targeting the particular gene are introduced into a cell or organism, preferably in double stranded form. The cell or organism is maintained under conditions allowing for the degradation of the targeted mRNA, resulting in decreased activity or expression of the gene. The extent of any decreased expression or activity of the gene is then measured, along with the effect of such decreased expression or activity, and a determination is made that if expression or activity is decreased, then the nucleic acid sequence of interest is a target for drug discovery or development. In this manner, phenotypically desirable effects can be associated with RNA interference of particular target nucleic acids of interest, and in appropriate cases toxicity and pharmacokinetic studies can be undertaken and therapeutic preparations developed.

[0240] The present invention may also be used in RNA interference applications that induce transient or permanent states of disease or disorder in an organism by, for example, attenuating the activity of a target nucleic acid of interest believed to be a cause or factor in the disease or disorder of interest. Increased activity of the target nucleic acid of interest may render the disease or disorder worse, or tend to ameliorate or to cure the disease or disorder of interest, as the case may be. Likewise, decreased activity of the target nucleic acid of interest may cause the disease or disorder, render it worse, or tend to ameliorate or cure it, as the case may be. Target nucleic acids of interest can comprise genomic or chromosomal nucleic acids or extrachromosomal nucleic acids, such as viral nucleic acids.

[0241] Further, the present invention may be used in RNA interference applications that determine the function of a target nucleic acid or target nucleic acid sequence of interest. For example, knockdown experiments that reduce or eliminate the activity of a certain target nucleic acid of interest, such as a promoter region in a genome or a structural gene. This can be achieved by performing RNA interference with one or more siRNAs targeting a particular target nucleic acid of interest. Observing the effects of such a knockdown can lead to inferences as to the function of the target nucleic acid of interest. RNA interference can also be used to examine the effects of polymorphisms, such as biallelic polymorphisms, by attenuating the activity of a target nucleic acid of interest having one or the other allele, and observing the effect on the organism or system studied. Therapeutically, one allele or the other, or both, may be selectively silenced using RNA interference where selective allele silencing is desirable.

[0242] Still further, the present invention may be used in RNA interference applications, such as diagnostics, prophylactics, and therapeutics. For these applications, an organism suspected of having a disease or disorder that is amenable to modulation by manipulation of a particular target nucleic acid of interest is treated by administering siRNA. Results of the siRNA treatment may be ameliorative, palliative, prophylactic, and/or diagnostic of a particular disease or disorder. Preferably, the siRNA is administered in a pharmaceutically acceptable manner with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or diluent.

[0243] Therapeutic applications of the present invention can be performed with a variety of therapeutic compositions and methods of administration. Pharmaceutically acceptable carriers and diluents are known to persons skilled in the art. Methods of administration to cells and organisms are also known to persons skilled in the art. Dosing regimens, for example, are known to depend on the severity and degree of responsiveness of the disease or disorder to be treated, with a course of treatment spanning from days to months, or until the desired effect on the disorder or disease state is achieved. Chronic administration of siRNAs may be required for lasting desired effects with some diseases or disorders. Suitable dosing regimens can be determined by, for example, administering varying amounts of one or more siRNAs in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or diluent, by a pharmaceutically acceptable delivery route, and amount of drug accumulated in the body of the recipient organism can be determined at various times following administration. Similarly, the desired effect (for example, degree of suppression of expression of a gene product or gene activity) can be measured at various times following administration of the siRNA, and this data can be correlated with other pharmacokinetic data, such as body or organ accumulation. Those of ordinary skill can determine optimum dosages, dosing regimens, and the like. Those of ordinary skill may employ EC₅₀ data from in vivo and in vitro animal models as guides for human studies.

[0244] Further, the polynucleotides can be administered in a cream or ointment topically, an oral preparation such as a capsule or tablet or suspension or solution, and the like. The route of administration may be intravenous, intramuscular, dermal, subdermal, cutaneous, subcutaneous, intranasal, oral, rectal, by eye drops, by tissue implantation of a device that releases the siRNA at an advantageous location, such as near an organ or tissue or cell type harboring a target nucleic acid of interest.

[0245] Having described the invention with a degree of particularity, examples will now be provided. These examples are not intended to and should not be construed to limit the scope of the claims in any way. Although the invention may be more readily understood through reference to the following examples, they are provided by way of illustration and are not intended to limit the present invention unless specified.

EXAMPLES Example 1 Synthesizing Polynucleotides

[0246] RNA oligonucleotides were synthesized in a stepwise fashion using the nucleotide addition reaction cycle illustrated in FIG. 13. The synthesis is preferably carried out as an automated process on an appropriate machine. Several such synthesizing machines are known to those of skill in the art. Each nucleotide is added sequentially (3′- to 5′-direction) to a solid support-bound oligonucleotide. Although polystyrene supports are preferred, any suitable support can be used. The first nucleoside at the 3′-end of the chain is covalently attached to a solid support. The nucleotide precursor, an activated ribonucleotide such as a phosphoramidite or H-phosphonate, and an activator such as a tetrazole, for example, S-ethyl-tetrazole (although any other suitable activator can be used) are added (step i in FIG. 13), coupling the second base onto the 5′-end of the first nucleoside. The support is washed and any unreacted 5′-hydroxyl groups are capped with an acetylating reagent such as but not limited to acetic anhydride or phenoxyacetic anhydride to yield unreactive 5′-acetyl moieties (step ii). The P(III) linkage is then oxidized to the more stable and ultimately desired P(V) linkage (step iii), using a suitable oxidizing agent such as, for example, t-butyl hydroperoxide or iodine and water. At the end of the nucleotide addition cycle, the 5′-silyl group is cleaved with fluoride ion (step iv), for example, using triethylammonium fluoride or t-butyl ammonium fluoride. The cycle is repeated for each subsequent nucleotide. It should be emphasized that although FIG. 13 illustrates a phosphoramidite having a methyl protecting group, any other suitable group may be used to protect or replace the oxygen of the phosphoramidite moiety. For example, alkyl groups, cyanoethyl groups, or thio derivatives can be employed at this position. Further, the incoming activated nucleoside in step (i) can be a different kind of activated nucleoside, for example, an H-phosphonate, methyl phosphonamidite or a thiophosphoramidite. It should be noted that the initial, or 3′, nucleoside attached to the support can have a different 5′ protecting group such as a dimethoxytrityl group, rather than a silyl group. Cleavage of the dimethoxytrityl group requires acid hydrolysis, as employed in standard DNA synthesis chemistry. Thus, an acid such as dichloroacetic acid (DCA) or trichloroacetic acid (TCA) is employed for this step alone. Apart from the DCA cleavage step, the cycle is repeated as many times as necessary to synthesize the polynucleotide desired.

[0247] Following synthesis, the protecting groups on the phosphates, which are depicted as methyl groups in FIG. 13, but need not be limited to methyl groups, are cleaved in 30 minutes utilizing 1 M disodium-2-carbamoyl-2-cyanoethylene-1,1-dithiolate trihydrate (dithiolate) in DMF (dimethylformamide). The deprotection solution is washed from the solid support bound oligonucleotide using water. The support is then treated with 40% methylamine for 20 minutes at 55° C. This releases the RNA oligonucleotides into solution, deprotects the exocyclic amines and removes the acetyl protection on the 2′-ACE groups. The oligonucleotides can be analyzed by anion exchange HPLC at this stage.

[0248] The 2′-orthoester groups are the last protecting groups to be removed, if removal is desired. The structure of the 2′-ACE protected RNA immediately prior to 2′-deprotection is as represented in FIG. 14.

[0249] For automated procedures, solid supports having the initial nucleoside are installed in the synthesizing instrument. The instrument will contain all the necessary ancillary reagents and monomers needed for synthesis. Reagents are maintained under argon, since some monomers, if not maintained under an inert gas, can hydrolyze. The instrument is primed so as to fill all lines with reagent. A synthesis cycle is designed that defines the delivery of the reagents in the proper order according to the synthesis cycle, delivering the reagents in the order specified in FIG. 13. Once a cycle is defined, the amount of each reagent to be added is defined, the time between steps is defined, and washing steps are defined, synthesis is ready to proceed once the solid support having the initial nucleoside is added.

[0250] For the RNA analogs described herein, modification is achieved through three different general methods. The first, which is implemented for carbohydrate and base modifications, as well as for introduction of certain linkers and conjugates, employs modified phosphoramidites in which the modification is pre-existing. An example of such a modification would be the carbohydrate 2′-modified species (2′-F, 2′-NH₂, 2′-O-alkyl, etc.) wherein the 2′ orthoester is replaced with the desired modification 3′ or 5′ terminal modifications could also be introduced such as fluoroscein derivatives, Dabsyl, cholesterol, cyanine derivatives or polyethylene glycol. Certain inter-nucleotide bond modifications would also be introduced via the incoming reactive nucleoside intermediate. Examples of the resultant internucleotide bond modification include but are not limited to methylphosphonates, phosphoramidates, phosphorothioates or phoshorodithioates.

[0251] Many modifiers can be employed using the same or similar cycles. Examples in this class would include, for example, 2-aminopurine, 5-methyl cytidine, 5-aminoallyl uridine, diaminopurine, 2-O-alkyl, multi-atom spacers, single monomer spacers, 2′-aminonucleosides, 2′-fluoro nucleosides, 5-iodouridine, 4-thiouridine, acridines, 5-bromouridine, 5-fluorocytidine, 5-fluorouridine, 5-iodouridine, 5-iodocytidine, 5-biotin-thymidine, 5-fluoroscein-thymidine, inosine, pseudouridine, abasic monomer, nebularane, deazanucleoside, pyrene nucleoside, azanucleoside, etc. Often the rest of the steps in the synthesis would remain the same with the exception of modifications that introduce substituents that are labile to standard deprotection conditions. Here modified conditions would be employed that do not effect the substituent. Second, certain internucleotide bond modifications require an alteration of the oxidation step to allow for their introduction. Examples in this class include phosphorothioates and phosphorodithioates wherein oxidation with elemental sulfur or another suitable sulfur transfer agent is required. Third, certain conjugates and modifications are introduced by “post-synthesis” process, wherein the desired molecule is added to the biopolymer after solid phase synthesis is complete. An example of this would be the addition of polyethylene glycol to a pre-synthesized oligonucleotide that contains a primary amine attached to a hydrocarbon linker. Attachment in this case can be achieved by using a N-hydroxy-succinimidyl ester of polyethylene glycol in a solution phase reaction.

[0252] While this outlines the most preferred method for synthesis of synthetic RNA and its analogs, any nucleic acid synthesis method which is capable of assembling these molecules could be employed in their assembly. Examples of alternative methods include 5′-DMT-2′-TBDMS and 5′-DMT-2′-TOM synthesis approaches. Some 2′-O-methyl, 2′-F and backbone modifications can be introduced in transcription reactions using modified and wild type T7 and SP6 polymerases, for example.

[0253] Synthesizing Modified RNA

[0254] The following guidelines are provided for synthesis of modified RNAs, and can readily be adapted to use on any of the automated synthesizers known in the art.

[0255] 3′ Terminal Modifications

[0256] There are several methods for incorporating 3′ modifications. The 3′ modification can be anchored or “loaded” onto a solid support of choice using methods known in the art. Alternatively, the 3′ modification may be available as a phosphoramidite. The phosphoramidite is coupled to a universal support using standard synthesis methods where the universal support provides a hydroxyl at which the 3′ terminal modification is created by introduction of the activated phosphoramidite of the desired terminal modification. Alternatively, the 3′ modification could be introduced post synthetically after the polynucleotide is removed from the solid support. The free polynucleotide initially has a 3′ terminal hydroxyl, amino, thiol, or halogen that reacts with an appropriately activated form of the modification of choice. Examples include but are not limited to N-hydroxy succinimidyl ester, thioether, disulfide, maliemido, or haloalkyl reactions. This modification now becomes the 3′ terminus of the polynucleotide. Examples of modifications that can be conjugated post synthetically can be but are not limited to fluorosceins, acridines, TAMRA, dabsyl, cholesterol, polyethylene glycols, multi-atom spacers, cyanines, lipids, carbohydrates, fatty acids, steroids, peptides, or polypeptides.

[0257] 5′ Terminal Modifications

[0258] There are a number of ways to introduce a 5′ modification into a polynucleotide. For example, a nucleoside having the 5′ modification can be purchased and subsequently activated to a phosphoramidite. The phosphoramidite having the 5′ modification may also be commercially available. Then, the activated nucleoside having the 5′ modification is employed in the cycle just as any other activated nucleoside may be used. However, not all 5′ modifications are available as phosphoramidites. In such an event, the 5′ modification can be introduced in an analogous way to that described for 3′ modifications above.

[0259] Thioates

[0260] Polynucleotides having one or more thioate moieties, such as phosphorothioate linkages, were made in accordance with the synthesis cycle described above and illustrated in FIG. 13. However, in place of the t-butyl hydroperoxide oxidation step, elemental sulfur or another sulfurizing agent was used.

[0261] 5′-Thio Modifications

[0262] Monomers having 5′ thiols can be purchased as phosphoramidites from commercial suppliers such as Glen Research. These 5′ thiol modified monomers generally bear trityl protecting groups. Following synthesis, the trityl group can be removed by any method known in the art.

[0263] Other Modifications

[0264] For certain modifications, the steps of the synthesis cycle will vary somewhat. For example, where the 3′ end has an inverse dT (wherein the first base is attached to the solid support through the 5′-hydroxyl and the first coupling is a 3′-3′ linkage) detritylation and coupling occurs more slowly, so extra detritylating reagent, such as dichloroactetic acid (DCA), should be used and coupling time should be increased to 300 seconds. Some 5′ modifications may require extended coupling time. Examples include cholesterol, fluorophores such as Cy3 or Cy5 biotin, dabsyl, amino linkers, thio linkers, spacers, polyethylene glycol, phosphorylating reagent, BODIPY, or photocleavable linkers.

[0265] It should be noted that if a polynucleotide is to have only a single modification, that modification can be most efficiently carried out manually by removing the support having the, partially built polynucleotide on it, manually coupling the monomer having the modification, and then replacing the support in the automated synthesizer and resuming automated synthesis.

Example 2 Deprotection and Cleavage of Synthesized Oligos from the Support

[0266] Cleaving can be done manually or in an automated process on a machine. Cleaving of the protecting moiety from the internucleotide linkage, for example a methyl group, can be achieved by using any suitable cleaving agent known in the art, for example, dithiolate or thiophenol. One molar dithiolate in DMF is added to the solid support at room temperature for 10 to 20 minutes. The support is then thoroughly washed with, for example, DMF, then water, then acetonitrile. Alternatively a water wash followed by a thorough acetonitrile will suffice to remove any residual dithioate.

[0267] Cleavage of the polynucleotide from the support and removal of exocyclic base protection can be done with 40% aqueous N-methylamine (NMA), followed by heating to 55 degrees Centigrade for twenty minutes. Once the polynucleotide is in solution, the NMA is carefully removed from the solid support. The solution containing the polynucleotide is then dried down to remove the NMA under vacuum. Further processing, including duplexing, desalting, gel purifying, quality control, and the like can be carried out by any method known in the art.

[0268] For some modifications, the NMA step may vary. For example, for a 3′ amino modification, the treatment with NMA should be for forty minutes at 55 degrees Centigrade. Puromycin, 5′ terminal amino linker modifications, and 2′ amino nucleoside modifications are heated for 1 hour after addition of 40% NMA. Oligonucleotides modified with Cy5 are treated with ammonium hydroxide for 24 hours while protected from light.

[0269] Preparation of Cleave Reagents

[0270] HPLC grade water and synthesis grade acetonitrile are used. The dithiolate is pre-prepared as crystals. Add 4.5 grams of dithiolate crystals to 90 mL of DMF. Forty percent NMA can be purchased, ready to use, from a supplier such as Sigma Aldrich Corporation.

[0271] Annealing Single Stranded Polynucleotides to Produce Double Stranded siRNA

[0272] Single stranded polynucleotides can be annealed by any method known in the art, employing any suitable buffer. For example, equal amounts of each strand can be mixed in a suitable buffer, such as, for example, 50 mM HEPES pH 7.5, 100 mM potassium chloride, 1 mM magnesium chloride. The mixture is heated for one minute at 90 degrees Centigrade, and allowed to cool to room temperature. In another example, each polynucleotide is separately prepared such that each is at 50 micromolar concentration.

[0273] Thirty microliters of each polynucleotide solution is then added to a tube with 15 microliters of 5× annealing buffer, wherein the annealing buffer final concentration is 100 mM potassium chloride, 30 mM HEPES-KOH pH 7.4 and 2 mM magnesium chloride. Final volume is 75 microliters. The solution is then incubated for one minute at 90 degrees Centigrade, spun in a centrifuge for 15 seconds, and allowed to incubate at 37 degrees Centigrade for one hour, then allowed to come to room temperature. This solution can then be stored frozen at minus 20 degrees Centigrade and freeze thawed up to five times. The final concentration of the duplex is 20 micromolar. An example of a buffer suitable for storage of the polynucleotides is 20 mM KCl, 6 mM HEPES pH 7.5, 0.2 mM MgCl₂. All buffers used should be RNase free.

[0274] Removal of the Orthoester Moiety

[0275] If desired, the orthoester moiety or moieties may be removed from the polynucleotide by any suitable method known in the art. One such method employs a volatile acetic acid-tetramethylenediamine (TEMED) pH 3.8 buffer system that can be removed by lyophilization following removal of the orthoester moiety or moieties. Deprotection at a pH higher than 3.0 helps minimize the potential for acid-catalyzed cleavage of the phosphodiester backbone. For example, deprotection can be achieved using 100 mM acetic acid adjusted to pH 3.8 with TEMED by suspending the orthoester protected polynucleotide and incubating it for 30 minutes at 60 degrees Centigrade. The solution is then lyophilized or subjected to a SpeedVac to dryness prior to use. If necessary, desalting following deprotection can be performed by any method known in the art, for example, ethanol precipitation or desalting on a reversed phase cartridge.

Example 3 Double Stranded Polynucleotides Synthesized for Use in RNA Interference

[0276] The following is a list of 19-mer double stranded polynucleotides having a di-dT overhang that were synthesized using Dharmacon, Inc.'s proprietary ACE chemistry, and were designed and used in accordance with the invention described herein. “SEAP” refers to human alkaline phosphatase; “human cyclo” refers to human cyclophilin; an asterisk between nucleotide units refers to a modified internucleotide linkage that is a phosphorothioate linkage; the structure 2′-F—C or 2′-F-U refers to a nucleotide unit having a fluorine atom attached to the 2′ carbon of a ribosyl moiety; the structure 2′-N—C or 2′-N—U refers to a nucleotide unit having an —NH₂ group attached to the 2′ carbon of a ribosyl moiety; the structure 2′-OME-C or 2′-OME-U refers to a nucleotide unit having a 2′-O-methyl modification at the 2′ carbon of a ribosyl moiety; dG, dU, dA, dC, and dT refer to a nucleotide unit that is deoxy with respect to the 2′ position, and instead has a hydrogen attached to the 2′ carbon of the ribosyl moiety. Unless otherwise indicated, all nucleotide units in the list below are ribosyl with an —OH at the 2′ carbon. TABLE 1 SEAP Constructs SEQ. Identifier Sequence ID NO. SP-2217-s gugauguaugucagagagudtdt 1 SP-2217-as acucucugacauacaucacdtdt 2 SP-2217-s-p gugauguaugucagagagudtdt(ace on) 3 SP-2217-as-p acucucugacauacaucacdtdt(ace on) 4 SP-2217-as4 ac*u*cucugacauacau*c*acdtdt 5 SP-2217-as8 ac*u*c*u*cugacauac*a*u*c*acdtdt 6 SP-2217-as8F a2′-F-c*2′-F-u*2′-F-c*2′-F-u* 7 2′-F-c2′-F-uga2′-F-ca2′-F-ua2′- F-c*a*2′-F-u*2′-F-c*a2′-F-cdtdt SP-s-N g2′-N-uga2′-N-ug2′-N-ua2′-N-ug 8 2′-N-u2′-N-cagagag2′-N-udtdt SP-as-N-12 a2′-N-c2′-N-u2′-N-c2′-N-u2′-N- 9 cugaca2′-N-ua2′-N-ca2′-N-u2′-N- ca2′-N-cdtdt SP-s-thio g*u*g*a*u*g*u*a*u*g*u*c*a*g*a* 10 g*a*g*udtdt SP-as-thio a*c*u*c*u*c*u*g*a*c*a*u*a*c*a* 11 u*c*a*cdtdt SP-as-thio12 a*c*u*c*u*c*ugacaua*c*a*u*c*a* 12 cdtdt SP-s-M g2′-OMe-uga2′-OMe-ug2′-OMe-ua 13 2′-OMe-ug2′-OMe-u2′-OMe-cagagag 2′-OMe-udtdt SP-as SP-as-M10 a 2′-OMe-c 2′-OMe-u 2′-OMe-c 14 2′-OMe-u 2′-OMe-c u g a c a 2′- OMe-u a 2′-OMe-c a 2′-OMe-u 2′- OMe-c a2′-OMe-c dt dt SP-2217-s dgudgadugduadugducdagdagdagdudt 15 dt SP-2217-as adcudcudcugacauadcaducdacdtdt 16 SP-2217-sF g2′-F-uga2′-F-ug2′-F-ua2′-F-ug 17 2′-F-u2′-F-cagagag2′-F-udtdt

[0277] TABLE 2 Human Cyclophylin Constructs SEQ. Identifier Sequence ID NO. H-cyclo-476-s ugguguuuggcaaaguucudtdt 18 H-cyclo-476-as agaacuuugccaaacaccadtdt 19 H-cyc-F-s (2′-F-u)gg(2′-F-u)g(2′-F- 20 u)(2′-F-u)(2′-F-u)gg(2′-F- c)aaag(2′-F-u)(2′-F-u)(2′- F-c)(2′-F-u)dtdt H-cyc-F-as9 agaa(2′-F-c)(2′-F-u)(2′-F- 21 u)(2′-F-u)g(2′-F-c)(2′-F-c) aaa(2′-F-c)a(2′-F-c)(2′-F- c)adtdt H-cyc-F-as8 agaa(2′-F-c)(2′-F-u)(2′-F- 22 u)ug(2′-F-c)(2′-F-c)aaa(2′- F-c)a(2′-F-c)(2′-F-c)adtdt H-cyclo-476-as6 agaa(2′-F-c)(2′-F-u)(2′-F- 23 u)ugccaaa(2′-F-c)a(2′-F- c)(2′-F-c)adtdt H-cyclo-476-as1 agaacuu(2′-Fu)gccaaacaccadt 24 dt

[0278] TABLE 3 Firefly Luciferase Constructs SEQ. Identifier Sequence ID NO. Luc-1188-2′F-s ga2′F-u2′F-ua2′F-ug2′F-u2′ 25 F-c2′F-cgg2′F-u2′F-ua2′F- ug2′F-uadtdt Luc-1188-2′F-as 2′F-ua2′F-ca2′F-uaa2′F-c2′ 26 F-cgga2′F-ca2′F-uaa2′F-u2′ F-cdtdt

Example 4 Performing RNA Interference Transfection

[0279] SiRNA duplexes were annealed using standard buffer (50 millimolar HEPES pH 7.5, 100 millimolar KCl, 1 mM MgCl₂). The transfections are done according to the standard protocol described below.

[0280] Standard Transfection Protocol for 96 Well and 6 Well Plates: siRNAs

[0281] 1. Protocols for 293 and Calu6, HeLas, MDA 75 are identical.

[0282] 2. Cell are plated to be 95% confluent on the day of transfection.

[0283] 3. SuperRNAsin (Ambion) is added to transfection mixture for protection against RNAses.

[0284] 4. All solutions and handling have to be carried out in RNAse free conditions.

[0285] Plate 1 0.5-1 ml in 25 ml of media in a small flask or 1 ml in 50 ml in a big flask.

[0286] 96 Well Plate

[0287] 1. Add 3 ml of 0.05% trypsin-EDTA in a medium flask (6 in a big) incubate 5 min at 37 degrees C.

[0288] 2. Add 7 ml (14 ml big) of regular media and pipet 10 times back and forth to re-suspend cells.

[0289] 3. Take 25 microliters of the cell suspension from step 2 and 75 microliters of trypan blue stain (1:4) and place 10 microliters in a cell counter.

[0290] 4. Count number of cells in a standard hemocytometer.

[0291] 5. Average number of cells×4×10000 is number of cells per ml.

[0292] 6. Dilute with regular media to have 350 000/ml.

[0293] 7. Plate 100 microliters (35000 cell for HEK293) in a 96 well plate.

[0294] Transfection. For 2×96 Well Plates (60 Well Format)

[0295] 1. OPTI-MEM 2 ml+80 microliters Lipofectamine 2000 (1:25)+15 microliters of SuperRNAsin (AMBION).

[0296] 2. Transfer iRNA aliquots (0.8 microliters of 100 micromolar to screen (total dilution factor is 1:750, 0.8 microliters of 100 micromolar solution will give 100 nanomolar final) to the dipdish in a desired order (Usually 3 columns×6 for 60 well format or four columns by 8 for 96 well).

[0297] 3. Transfer 100 microliters of OPTI-MEM.

[0298] 4. Transfer 100 microliters of OPTI-MEM with Lipofectamine 2000 and SuperRNAsin to each well.

[0299] 5. Leave for 20-30 min RT.

[0300] 6. Add 0.55 ml of regular media to each well. Cover plate with film and mix.

[0301] 7. Array out 100×3×2 directly to the cells (sufficient for two plates).

[0302] Transfection. For 2×6 Well Plates

[0303] 8. 8 ml OPTI-MEM+160 microliters Lipofectamine 2000 (1:25). 30 microliters of SuperRNAsin (AMBION).

[0304] 9. Transfer iRNA aliquots (total dilution factor is 1:750, 5 microliters of 100 micromolar solution will give 100 nanomolar final) to polystyrene tubes.

[0305] 10. Transfer 1300 microliters of OPTI-MEM with Lipofectamine 2000 and SuperRNAsin (AMBION).

[0306] 11. Leave for 20-30 min RT.

[0307] 12. Add 0.55 ml of regular media to each well. Cover plate with film and mix.

[0308] 13. Transfer 2 ml to each well (sufficient for two wells).

[0309] The mRNA or protein levels are measured 24, 48, 72, and 96 hours post transfection with standard kits or Custom B-DNA sets and Quantigene kits (Bayer).

Example 5 Measurement of Activity/Detection

[0310] The level of siRNA-induced RNA interference, or gene silencing, was estimated by assaying the reduction in target mRNA levels or reduction in the corresponding protein levels. Assays of mRNA levels were carried out using B-DNA™ technology (Quantagene Corp.). Protein levels for fLUC and rLUC were assayed by STEADY GLO™ kits (Promega Corp.). Human alkaline phosphatase levels were assayed by Great EscAPe SEAP Fluorescence Detection Kits (#K2043-1), BD Biosciences, Clontech.

Example 6 2′-Deoxy Modifications/Firefly Luciferase Gene

[0311] The functional effect on an siRNA of having two tandem 2′-deoxy modifications, and three tandem 2′-deoxy modifications in a sense strand and in an antisense strand were systematically examined by introducing the modifications into a 21-mer siRNA having a 19-mer region of complementarity and a di-dT overhang at the 5′ and 3′ ends of the duplex. The siRNAs were directed against the firefly luciferase gene (fLUC5) transfected into HEK293 cells. siRNA functionality was measured as described above. Toxicity was measured by ALMAR blue, and appeared unaffected. Functionality was assessed at three concentrations: 1, 10 and 100 nM final. The sequences of the siRNAs used, and the placement of the 2′-deoxy modifications, are indicated in Table 4. The results of these experiments are shown in FIGS. 19-23. TABLE 4 Constructs for 2′-Deoxy Modifications/fLUC Identifier Sequence SEQ. ID NO. fLUC5-AS 3D19 uuuaugaggaucucucdudgdadtdt 27 fLUC5-AS 3D16 uuuaugaggaucucudcdudgadtdt 28 fLUC5-AS 3D13 uuuaugaggaucdudcducugadtdt 29 fLUC5-AS 3D10 uuuaugaggdadudcucucugadtdt 30 fLUC5-AS 3D7 uuuaugdadgdgaucucucugadtdt 31 fLUC5-AS 3D4 uuudadudgaggaucucdcugadtdt 32 fLUC5-AS 3D1 dududuaugaggaucucucugadtdt 33 fLUC5-AS 2D19 uuuaugaggaucucucudgdadtdt 34 fLUC5-AS 2D17 uuuaugaggaucucucdudgadtdt 35 fLUC5-AS 2D15 uuuaugaggaucucdudcugadtdt 36 fLUC5-AS 2D13 uuuaugaggaucdudcucugadtdt 37 fLUC5-AS 2D11 uuuaugaggadudcucucugadtdt 38 fLUC5-AS 2D9 uuuaugagdgdaucucucugadtdt 39 fLUC5-AS 2D7 uuuaugdadggaucucucugadtdt 40 fLUC5-AS 2D5 uuuadudgaggaucucucugadtdt 41 fLUC5-AS 2D3 uududaugaggaucucucugadtdt 42 fLUC5-AS 2D1 duduuaugaggaucucucugadtdt 43 fLUC5-AS 1D19 uuuaugaggaucucucugdadtdt 44 fLUC5-AS 1D18 uuuaugaggaucucucudgadtdt 45 fLUC5-AS 1D17 uuuaugaggaucucucdugadtdt 46 fLUC5-AS 1D16 uuuaugaggaucucudcugadtdt 47 fLUC5-AS 1D15 uuuaugaggaucucducugadtdt2 48 fLUC5-AS 1D14 uuuaugaggaucudcucugadtdt 48 fLUC5-AS 1D13 uuuaugaggaucducucugadtdt 50 fLUC5-AS 1D12 uuuaugaggaudcucucugadtdt 51 fLUC5-AS 1D11 uuuaugaggaducucucugadtdt 52 fLUC5-AS 1D10 uuuaugaggdaucucucugadtdt 53 fLUC5-AS 1D9 uuuaugagdgaucucucugadtdt 54 fLUC5-AS 1D8 uuuaugadggaucucucugadtdt 55 fLUC5-AS 1D7 uuuaugdaggaucucucugadtdt 56 fLUC5-AS 1D6 uuuaudgaggaucucucugadtdt 57 fLUC5-AS 1D5 uuuadugaggaucucucugadtdt 58 fLUC5-AS 1D4 uuudaugaggaucucucugadtdt 59 fLUC5-AS 1D3 uuduaugaggaucucucugadtdt 60 fLUC5-AS 1D2 uduuaugaggaucucucugadtdt 61 fLUC5-AS 1D1 duuuaugaggaucucucugadtdt 62 fLUC5-S 3D19 ucagagagauccucaudadadadtdt 63 fLUC5-S 3D16 ucagagagauccucadudadaadtdt 64 fLUC5-S 3D13 ucagagagauccdudcdauaaadtdt 65 fLUC5-S 3D10 ucagagagadudcdcucauaaadtdt 66 fLUC5-S 3D7 ucagagdadgdauccucauaaadtdt 67 fLUC5-S 3D4 ucadgdadgagauccucauaaadtdt 68 fLUC5-S 3D1 dudcdagagagauccucauaaadtdt 69 fLUC5-S 2D19 ucagagagauccucauadadadtdt 70 fLUC5-S 2D17 ucagagagauccucaudadaadtdt 71 fLUC5-S 2D15 ucagagagauccucdaduaaadtdt 72 fLUC5-S 2D13 ucagagagauccdudcauaaadtdt 73 fLUC5-S 2D11 ucagagagaudcdcucauaaadtdt 74 fLUC5-S 2D9 ucagagagdaduccucauaaadtdt 75 fLUC5-S 2D7 ucagagdadgauccucauaaadtdt 76 fLUC5-S 2D5 ucagdadgagauccucauaaadtdt 77 fLUC5-S 2D3 ucdadgagagauccucauaaadtdt 78 fLUC5-S 2D1 dudcagagagauccucauaaadtdt 79 fLUC5-S 1D19 ucagagagauccucauaadadtdt 80 fLUC5-S 1D18 ucagagagauccucauadaadtdt 81 fLUC5-S 1D17 ucagagagauccucaudaaadtdt 82 fLUC5-S 1D16 ucagagagauccucaduaaadtdt 83 fLUC5-S 1D15 ucagagagauccucdauaaadtdt 84 fLUC5-S 1D14 ucagagagauccudcauaaadtdt 85 fLUC5-S 1D13 ucagagagauccducauaaadtdt 86 fLUC5-S 1D12 ucagagagaucdcucauaaadtdt 87 fLUC5-S 1D11 ucagagagaudccucauaaadtdt 88 fLUC5-S 1D10 ucagagagaduccucauaaadtdt 89 fLUC5-S 1D9 ucagagagdauccucauaaadtdt 90 fLUC5-S 1D8 ucagagadgauccucauaaadtdt 91 fLUC5-S 1D7 ucagagdagauccucauaaadtdt 92 fLUC5-S 1D6 ucagadgagauccucauaaadtdt 93 fLUC5-S 1D5 ucagdagagauccucauaaadtdt 94 fLUC5-S 1D4 ucadgagagauccucauaaadtdt 95 fLUC5-S 1D3 ucdagagagauccucauaaadtdt 96 fLUC5-S 1D2 udcagagagauccucauaaadtdt 97 fLUC5-S 1D1 ducagagagauccucauaaadtdt 98

Example 7 2′-O-Methyl Modifications/Firefly Luciferase Gene

[0312] The functional effect on an siRNA of having two tandem 2′-O-methyl modifications, and three tandem 2′-O-methyl modifications in a sense strand and in an antisense strand were examined by introducing the modifications into a 21-mer siRNA. The functional effect on an siRNA of having a single 2′-O-methyl modification, two tandem 2′-O-methyl modifications, and three tandem 2′-O-methyl modifications in a sense strand and in an antisense strand were systematically examined by introducing the modifications into a 21-mer siRNA having a 19-mer region of complementarity and a di-dT overhang at the 5′ and 3′ ends of the duplex. The siRNAs were directed against the firefly luciferase gene (fLUC5) transfected into HEK293 cells. siRNA functionality was measured as described above. Functionality was assessed at three concentrations: 1, 10 and 100 nM final. Toxicity was measured by ALMAR blue, and appeared unaffected. The sequences of the siRNAs used, and the placement of the 2′-o-methyl modifications, are indicated in Table 5. The results of these experiments are shown in FIGS. 24-28. TABLE 5 Constructs for 2′-O-Methyl Modifications/fLUC Identifier Sequence SEQ. ID NO. fLUC5-AS 3M19 uuuaugaggaucucucmumgmadtdt 99 fLUC5-AS 3M16 uuuaugaggaucucumcmumgadtdt 100 fLUC5-AS 3M13 uuuaugaggaucmumcmucugadtdt 101 fLUC5-AS 3M10 uuuaugaggmamumcucucugadtdt 102 fLUC5-AS 3M7 uuuaugmamgmgaucucucugadtdt 103 fLUC5-AS 3M4 uuumamumgaggaucucucugadtdt 104 fLUC5-AS 3M1 mumumuaugaggaugucucugadtdt 105 fLUC5-AS 2M19 uuuaugaggaucucucumgmadtdt 106 fLUC5-AS 2M17 uuuaugaggaucucucmumgadtdt 107 fLUC5-AS 2M15 uuuaugaggaucucmumcugadtdt 108 fLUC5-AS 2M13 uuuaugaggaucmumcucugadtdt 109 fLUC5-AS 2M11 uuuaugaggamumcucucugadtdt 110 fLUC5-AS 2M9 uuuaugagmgmaucucucugadtdt 111 fLUC5-AS 2M7 uuuaugmamggaucucucugadtdt 112 fLUC5-AS 2M5 uuuamumgaggaucucucugadtdt 1113 fLUC5-AS 2M3 uumumaugaggaucucucugadtdt 114 fLUC5-AS 2M1 mumuuaugaggaucucucugadtdt 115 fLUC5-AS 1M19 uuuaugaggaucucucugmadtdt 116 fLUC5-AS 1M18 uuuaugaggaucucucumgadtdt 117 fLUC5-AS 1M17 uuuaugaggaucucucmugadtdt 118 fLUC5-AS 1M16 uuuaugaggaucucumcugadtdt 119 fLUC5-AS 1M15 uuuaugaggaucucmucugadtdt 120 fLUC5-AS 1M14 uuuaugaggaucumcucugadtdt 121 fLUC5-AS 1M13 uuuaugaggaucmucucugadtdt 122 fLUC5-AS 1M12 uuuaugaggaumcucucugadtdt 123 fLUC5-AS 1M11 uuuaugaggamucucucugadtdt 124 fLUC5-AS 1M10 uuuaugaggmaucucucugadtdt 125 fLUC5-AS 1M9 uuuaugagmgaucucucugadtdt 126 fLUC5-AS 1M8 uuuaugamggaucucucugadtdt 127 fLUC5-AS 1M7 uuuaugmaggaucucucugadtdt 128 fLUC5-AS 1M6 uuuaumgaggaucucucugadtdt 129 fLUC5-AS 1M5 uuuamugaggaucucucugadtdt 130 fLUC5-AS 1M4 uuumaugaggaucucucugadtdt 131 fLUC5-AS 1M3 uumuaugaggaucucucugadtdt 132 fLUC5-AS 1M2 umuuaugaggaucucucugadtdt 133 fLUC5-AS 1M1 muuuaugaggaucucucugadtdt 134 fLUC5-S 3M19 ucagagagauccucaumamamadtdt 135 fLUC5-S 3M16 ucagagagauccucamumamaadtdt 136 fLUC5-S 3M13 ucagagagauccmumcmauaaadtdt 137 fLUC5-S 3M10 ucagagagamumcmcucauaaadtdt 138 fLUC5-S 3M7 ucagagmamgmauccucauaaadtdt 139 fLUC5-S 3M4 ucamgmamgagauccucauaaadtdt 140 fLUC5-S 3M1 mumcmagagagauccucauaaadtdt 141 fLUC5-S 2M19 ucagagagauccucauamamadtdt 142 fLUC5-S 2M17 ucagagagauccucamumaaadtdt 143 fLUC5-S 2M15 ucagagagauccumcmauaaadtdt 144 fLUC5-S 2M13 ucagagagaucmcmucauaaadtdt 145 fLUC5-S 2M11 ucagagagamumccucauaaadtdt 146 fLUC5-S 2M9 ucagagamgmauccucauaaadtdt 147 fLUC5-S 2M7 ucagamgmagauccucauaaadtdt 148 fLUC5-S 2M5 ucagmamgagauccucauaaadtdt 149 fLUC5-S 2M3 ucmamgagagauccucauaaadtdt 150 fLUC5-S 2M1 mumcagagagauccucauaaadtdt 151 fLUC5-S 1M19 ucagagagauccucauaamadtdt 152 fLUC5-S 1M18 ucagagagauccucauamaadtdt 153 fLUC5-S 1M17 ucagagagauccucaumaaadtdt 154 fLUC5-S 1M16 ucagagagauccucamuaaadtdt 155 fLUC5-S 1M15 ucagagagauccucmauaaadtdt 156 fLUC5-S 1M14 ucagagagauccumcauaaadtdt 157 fLUC5-S 1M13 ucagagagauccmucauaaadtdt 158 fLUC5-S 1M12 ucagagagaucmcucauaaadtdt 159 fLUC5-S 1M11 ucagagagaumccucauaaadtdt 160 fLUC5-S 1M10 ucagagagamuccucauaaadtdt 161 fLUC5-S 1M9 ucagagagmauccucauaaadtdt 162 fLUC5-S 1M8 ucagagamgauccucauaaadtdt 163 fLUC5-S 1M7 ucagagmagauccucauaaadtdt 164 fLUC5-S 1M6 ucagamgagauccucauaaadtdt 165 fLUC5-S 1M5 ucagmagagauccucauaaadtdt 166 fLUC5-S 1M4 ucamgagagauccucauaaadtdt 167 fLUC5-S 1M3 ucmagagagauccucauaaadtdt 168 fLUC5-S 1M2 umcagagagauccucauaaadtdt 169 fLUC5-S 1M1 mucagagagauccucauaaadtdt 170

Example 8 2′-Deoxy and 2′-O-Methyl Modifications/Sense vs. Antisense Strands

[0313] Fifteen duplexes were modified at first and second positions of the sense strand and the antisense strand. Five were directed against the human cyclophylin gene, and 10 were directed against the firefly luciferase gene (see FIGS. 29-31). Duplexes tested included unmodified, 2′-O-methyl modifications at the first and second positions of the sense strand, 2′-O-methyl modifications at the first and second positions of the antisense strand, and 2′-O-methyl modifications in the antisense strand where the antisense strand is chemically phosphorylated at its 5′ end. For all 15 duplexes, modifications at positions 1 and 2 of the sense strand with 2′O-methyl moieties did not interfere with functionality. The same modifications of the antisense strand blocks the functionality of the duplexes. This decrease in functionality was partially reduced where the antisense strand was phosphorylated at its 5′ end. Phosphorylation of the 5′ end of such a modified siRNA is thus an inexpensive, reliable, and non-toxic method of modifying an siRNA duplex so that a sense strand will be prevented from functioning as an antisense strand. This information is of commercial value because it helps increase siRNA specificity and potency. Recent microarray data indicates that the presence of just 11 nucleotides is sufficient to induce nonspecific silencing. The homology present within a sense strand of an siRNA duplex typically constitutes at least half nonspecific functionality. If the inherent nonspecific functionality is blocked, the sense strand will not be able to function as an antisense strand and the siRNA's specificity should increase at least two-fold. Shifting of the equilibrium toward a functional RISC complex will also lower the effective concentration of siRNA.

Example 9 Modified siRNAs with 5′Conjugates

[0314] The functional effects of modifications to siRNAs having 5′ conjugates was examined. The half life of anti-SEAP siRNA (2217) was measured when modified by 2′-O-methyl modifications at each C and U of the sense strand. Modifications at positions 1, 2, 18, and 19 did not interfere with duplex performance. Naked or 3′-idT (inverted deoxythymidine) antisense strands were kinased in the presence of 5′ gamma ATP according to a manufacturer's protocol (T4 kinase from Promega). Labeled antisense strand was then annealed to the modified naked sense strand and duplex stability was measured in 100% human serum (Sigma). Stability was calculated as the ration of full size and degradation products by 15% TBE-UREA gel. The effect of addition of a cholesterol moiety to the 5′ end of the sense strand is shown in FIG. 34. FIG. 33 illustrates gel shifting assays (Invitrogen Novagel) wherein duplexes with or without a cholesterol moiety were labeled with ³²P on the antisense strand, and the complexes were run on native gels in the presence of albumin (Sigma) or human serum (Sigma). FIGS. 35 and 36 illustrate the stability of siRNA conjugates in human serum, and the effect of conjugates on passive siRNA uptake in HEK 293 cells.

Example 10 2′Deoxy and 2′-O-Methyl Modification Walks on SEAP 2217 Target

[0315] The constructs used for the 2′-deoxy and 2′-O-methyl walks using siRNAs targeted against the SEAP construct (see FIGS. 31 and 32) are listed in Table 6. TABLE 6 Constructs for 2′-Deoxy and 2′-O-Methyl Walks Identifier Sequence SEQ. ID NO. 2217-S 2M1 mgmugauguaugucagagagudtdt 171 2217-AS 3D19 acucucugacauacaudcdadcdtdt 172 2217-AS 3D16 acucucugacauacadudcdacdtdt 173 2217-AS 3D13 acucucugacaudadcdaucacdtdt 174 2217-AS 3D10 acucucugadcdaduacaucacdtdt 175 2217-AS 3D7 acucucdudgdacauacaucacdtdt 176 2217-AS 3D4 acudcdudcugacauacaucacdtdt 177 2217-AS 3D1 dadcducucugacauacaucacdtdt 178 2217-AS 2D19 acucucugacauacaucdadcdtdt 179 2217-AS 2D17 acucucugacauacaudcdacdtdt 180 2217-AS 2D15 acucucugacauacdaducacdtdt 181 2217-AS 2D13 acucucugacaudadcaucacdtdt 182 2217-AS 2D11 acucucugacdaduacaucacdtdt 183 2217-AS 2D9 acucucugdadcauacaucacdtdt 184 2217-AS 2D7 acucucdudgacauacaucacdtdt 185 2217-AS 2D5 acucdudcugacauacaucacdtdt 186 2217-AS 2D3 acdudcucugacauacaucacdtdt 187 2217-AS 2D1 dadcucucugacauacaucacdtdt 188 2217-AS 3M19 acucucugacauacaumcmamcdtdt 189 2217-AS 3M16 acucucugacauacamumcmacdtdt 190 2217-AS 3M13 acucucugacaumamcmaucacdtdt 191 2217-AS 3M10 acucucugamcmamuacaucacdtdt 192 2217-AS 3M7 acucucmumgmacauacaucacdtdt 193 2217-AS 3M4 acumcmumcugacauacaucacdtdt 194 2217-AS 3M1 amcmucucugacauacaucacdtdt 195 2217-AS 2M19 acucucugacauacaucmamcdtdt 196 2217-AS 2M17 acucucugacauacaumcmacdtdt 197 2217-AS 2M15 acucucugacauacmamucacdtdt 198 2217-AS 2M13 acucucugacaumamcaucacdtdt 199 2217-AS 2M11 acucucugacmamuacaucacdtdt 200 2217-AS 2M9 acucucugmamcauacaucacdtdt 201 2217-AS 2M7 acucucmumgacauacaucacdtdt 202 2217-AS 2M5 acucmumcugacauacaucacdtdt 203 2217-AS 2M3 acmumcucugacauacaucacdtdt 204 2217-AS 2M1 mamcucucugacauacaucacdtdt 205 2217-S 3D19 gugauguaugucagagdadgdudtdt 206 2217-S 3D16 gugauguaugucagadgdadgudtdt 207 2217-S 3D13 gugauguaugucdadgdagagudtdt 208 2217-S 3D10 gugauguaudgdudcagagagudtdt 209 2217-S 3D7 gugaugdudadugucagagagudtdt 210 2217-S 3D4 gugdadudguaugucagagagudtdt 211 2217-S 3D1 dgdudgauguaugucagagagudtdt 212 2217-S 2D19 gugauguaugucagagadgdudtdt 213 2217-S 2D17 gugauguaugucagagdadgudtdt 214 2217-S 2D15 gugauguaugucagdadgagudtdt 215 2217-S 2D13 gugauguaugucdadgagagudtdt 216 2217-S 2D11 gugauguaugdudcagagagudtdt 217 2217-S 2D9 gugauguadudgucagagagudtdt 218 2217-S 2D7 gugaugdudaugucagagagudtdt 219 2217-S 2D5 gugadudguaugucagagagudtdt 220 2217-S 2D3 gudgdauguaugucagagagudtdt 221 2217-S 2D1 dgdugauguaugucagagagudtdt 222 2217-S 3M19 gugauguaugucagagmamgmudtdt 223 2217-S 3M16 gugauguaugucagamgmamgudtdt 224 2217-S 3M13 gugauguaugucmamgmagagudtdt 225 2217-S 3M10 gugauguaumgmumcagagagudtdt 226 2217-S 3M7 gugaugmumamugucagagagudtdt 227 2217-S 3M4 gugmamumguaugucagagagudtdt 228 2217-S 3M1 gmumgauguaugucagagagudtdt 229 2217-S 2M19 gugauguaugucagagamgmudtdt 230 2217-S 2M17 gugauguaugucagagmamgudtdt 231 2217-S 2M15 gugauguaugucagmamgagudtdt 232 2217-S 2M13 gugauguaugucmamgagagudtdt 233 2217-S 2M11 gugauguaugmumcagagagudtdt 234 2217-S 2M9 gugauguamumgucagagagudtdt 235 2217-S 2M7 gugaugmumaugucagagagudtdt 236 2217-S 2M5 gugamumguaugucagagagudtdt 237 2217-S 2M3 gumgmauguaugucagagagudtdt 238 2217-S 1M19 gugauguaugucagagagmudtdt 239 2217-S 1M18 gugauguaugucagagamgudtdt 240 2217-S 1M17 gugauguaugucagagmagudtdt 241 2217-S 1M16 gugauguaugucagamgagudtdt 242 2217-S 1M15 gugauguaugucagmagagudtdt 243 2217-S 1M14 gugauguaugucamgagagudtdt 244 2217-S 1M13 gugauguaugucmagagagudtdt 245 2217-S 1M12 gugauguaugumcagagagudtdt 246 2217-S 1M11 gugauguaugmucagagagudtdt 247 2217-S 1M10 gugauguaumgucagagagudtdt 248 2217-S 1M9 gugauguamugucagagagudtdt 249 2217-S 1M8 gugaugumaugucagagagudtdt 250 2217-S 1M7 gugaugmuaugucagagagudtdt 251 2217-S 1M6 gugaumguaugucagagagudtdt 252 2217-S 1M5 gugamuguaugucagagagudtdt 253 2217-S 1M4 gugmauguaugucagagagudtdt 254 2217-S 1M3 gumgauguaugucagagagudtdt 255 2217-S 1M2 gmugauguaugucagagagudtdt 256 2217-S 1M1 mgugauguaugucagagagudtdt 257 2217-AS 1M19 acucucugacauacaucamcdtdt 258 2217-AS 1M18 acucucugacauacaucmacdtdt 259 2217-AS 1M17 acucucugacauacaumcacdtdt 260 2217-AS 1M16 acucucugacauacamucacdtdt 261 2217-AS 1M15 acucucugacauacmaucacdtdt 262 2217-AS 1M14 acucucugacauamcaucacdtdt 263 2217-AS 1M13 acucucugacaumacaucacdtdt 264 2217-AS 1M12 acucucugacamuacaucacdtdt 265 2217-AS 1M11 acucucugacmauacaucacdtdt 266 2217-AS 1M10 acucucugamcauacaucacdtdt 267 2217-AS 1M9 acucucugmacauacaucacdtdt 268 2217-AS 1M8 acucucumgacauacaucacdtdt 269 2217-AS 1M7 acucucmugacauacaucacdtdt 270 2217-AS 1M6 acucumcugacauacaucacdtdt 271 2217-AS 1M5 acucmucugacauacaucacdtdt 272 2217-AS 1M4 acumcucugacauacaucacdtdt 273 2217-AS 1M3 acmucucugacauacaucacdtdt 274 2217-AS 1M2 amcucucugacauacaucacdtdt 275 2217-AS 1M1 macucucugacauacaucacdtdt 276 2217-S 1D19 gugauguaugucagagagdudtdt 277 2217-S 1D18 gugauguaugucagagadgudtdt 278 2217-S 1D17 gugauguaugucagagdagudtdt 279 2217-S 1D16 gugauguaugucagadgagudtdt 280 2217-S 1D15 gugauguaugucagdagagudtdt 281 2217-S 1D14 gugauguaugucadgagagudtdt 282 2217-S 1D13 guqauguaugucdagagagudtdt 283 2217-S 1D12 gugauguaugudcagagagudtdt 284 2217-S 1D11 gugauguaugducagagagudtdt 285 2217-S 1D10 gugauguaudgucagagagudtdt 286 2217-S 1D9 gugauguadugucagagagudtdt 287 2217-S 1D8 gugaugudaugucagagagudtdt 288 2217-S 1D7 gugaugduaugucagagagudtdt 289 2217-S 1D6 gugaudguaugucagagagudtdt 290 2217-S 1D5 gugaduguaugucagagagudtdt 291 2217-S 1D4 gugdauguaugucagagagudtdt 292 2217-S 1D3 gudgauguaugucagagagudtdt 293 2217-S 1D2 gdugauguaugucagagagudtdt 294 2217-S 1D1 dgugauguaugucagagagudtdt 295 2217-AS 1D19 acucucugacauacaucadcdtdt 296 2217-AS 1D18 acucucugacauacaucdacdtdt 297 2217-AS 1D17 acucucugacauacaudcacdtdt 298 2217-AS 1D16 acucucugacauacaducacdtdt 299 2217-AS 1D15 acucucugacauacdaucacdtdt 300 2217-AS 1D14 acucucugacauadcaucacdtdt 301 2217-AS 1D13 acucucugacaudacaucacdtdt 302 2217-AS 1D12 acucucugacaduacaucacdtdt 303 2217-AS 1D11 acucucugacdauacaucacdtdt 304 2217-AS 1D10 acucucugadcauacaucacdtdt 305 2217-AS 1D9 acucucugdacauacaucacdtdt 306 2217-AS 1D8 acucucudgacauacaucacdtdt 307 2217-AS 1D7 acucucdugacauacaucacdtdt 308 2217-AS 1D6 acucudcugacauacaucacdtdt 309 2217-AS 1D5 acucducugacauacaucacdtdt 310 2217-AS 1D4 acudcucugacauacaucacdtdt 311 2217-AS 1D3 acducucugacauacaucacdtdt 312 2217-AS 1D2 adcucucugacauacaucacdtdt 313 2217-AS 1D1 dacucucugacauacaucacdtdt 314

[0316] Although the invention has been described and has been illustrated in connection with certain specific or preferred inventive embodiments, it will be understood by those of skill in the art that the invention is capable of many further modifications. This application is intended to cover any and all variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention that follow, in general, the principles of the invention and include departures from the disclosure that come within known or customary practice within the art and as may be applied to the essential features described in this application and in the scope of the appended claims.

1 314 1 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 1 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 2 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 2 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 3 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 3 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 4 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 4 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 5 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 5 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 6 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 6 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 7 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 7 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 8 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 8 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 9 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 9 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 10 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 10 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 11 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 11 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 12 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 12 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 13 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 13 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 14 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 14 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 15 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 15 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 16 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 16 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 17 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 17 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 18 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 18 ugguguuugg caaaguucut t 21 19 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 19 agaacuuugc caaacaccat t 21 20 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 20 ugguguuugg caaaguucut t 21 21 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 21 agaacuuugc caaacaccat t 21 22 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 22 agaacuuugc caaacaccat t 21 23 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 23 agaacuuugc caaacaccat t 21 24 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 24 agaacuuugc caaacaccat t 21 25 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 25 gauuaugucc gguuauguat t 21 26 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 26 uacauaaccg gacauaauct t 21 27 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 27 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 28 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 28 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 29 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 29 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 30 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 30 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 31 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 31 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 32 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 32 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 33 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 33 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 34 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 34 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 35 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 35 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 36 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 36 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 37 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 37 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 38 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 38 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 39 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 39 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 40 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 40 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 41 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 41 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 42 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 42 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 43 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 43 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 44 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 44 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 45 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 45 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 46 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 46 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 47 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 47 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 48 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 48 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 49 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 49 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 50 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 50 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 51 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 51 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 52 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 52 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 53 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 53 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 54 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 54 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 55 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 55 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 56 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 56 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 57 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 57 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 58 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 58 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 59 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 59 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 60 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 60 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 61 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 61 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 62 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 62 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 63 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 63 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 64 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 64 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 65 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 65 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 66 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 66 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 67 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 67 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 68 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 68 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 69 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 69 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 70 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 70 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 71 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 71 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 72 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 72 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 73 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 73 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 74 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 74 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 75 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 75 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 76 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 76 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 77 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 77 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 78 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 78 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 79 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 79 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 80 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 80 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 81 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 81 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 82 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 82 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 83 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 83 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 84 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 84 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 85 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 85 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 86 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 86 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 87 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 87 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 88 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 88 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 89 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 89 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 90 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 90 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 91 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 91 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 92 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 92 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 93 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 93 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 94 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 94 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 95 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 95 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 96 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 96 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 97 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 97 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 98 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 98 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 99 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 99 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 100 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 100 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 101 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 101 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 102 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 102 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 103 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 103 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 104 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 104 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 105 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 105 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 106 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 106 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 107 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 107 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 108 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 108 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 109 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 109 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 110 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 110 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 111 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 111 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 112 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 112 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 113 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 113 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 114 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 114 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 115 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 115 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 116 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 116 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 117 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 117 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 118 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 118 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 119 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 119 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 120 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 120 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 121 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 121 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 122 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 122 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 123 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 123 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 124 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 124 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 125 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 125 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 126 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 126 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 127 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 127 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 128 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 128 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 129 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 129 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 130 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 130 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 131 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 131 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 132 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 132 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 133 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 133 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 134 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 134 uuuaugagga ucucucugat t 21 135 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 135 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 136 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 136 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 137 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 137 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 138 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 138 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 139 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 139 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 140 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 140 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 141 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 141 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 142 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 142 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 143 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 143 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 144 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 144 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 145 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 145 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 146 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 146 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 147 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 147 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 148 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 148 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 149 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 149 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 150 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 150 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 151 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 151 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 152 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 152 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 153 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 153 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 154 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 154 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 155 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 155 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 156 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 156 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 157 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 157 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 158 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 158 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 159 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 159 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 160 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 160 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 161 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 161 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 162 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 162 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 163 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 163 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 164 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 164 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 165 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 165 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 166 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 166 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 167 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 167 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 168 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 168 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 169 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 169 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 170 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 170 ucagagagau ccucauaaat t 21 171 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 171 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 172 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 172 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 173 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 173 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 174 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 174 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 175 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 175 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 176 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 176 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 177 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 177 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 178 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 178 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 179 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 179 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 180 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 180 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 181 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 181 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 182 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 182 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 183 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 183 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 184 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 184 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 185 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 185 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 186 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 186 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 187 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 187 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 188 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 188 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 189 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 189 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 190 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 190 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 191 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 191 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 192 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 192 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 193 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 193 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 194 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 194 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 195 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 195 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 196 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 196 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 197 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 197 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 198 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 198 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 199 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 199 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 200 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 200 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 201 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 201 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 202 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 202 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 203 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 203 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 204 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 204 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 205 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 205 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 206 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 206 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 207 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 207 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 208 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 208 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 209 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 209 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 210 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 210 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 211 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 211 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 212 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 212 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 213 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 213 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 214 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 214 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 215 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 215 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 216 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 216 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 217 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 217 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 218 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 218 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 219 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 219 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 220 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 220 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 221 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 221 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 222 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 222 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 223 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 223 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 224 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 224 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 225 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 225 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 226 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 226 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 227 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 227 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 228 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 228 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 229 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 229 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 230 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 230 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 231 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 231 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 232 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 232 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 233 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 233 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 234 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 234 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 235 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 235 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 236 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 236 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 237 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 237 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 238 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 238 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 239 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 239 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 240 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 240 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 241 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 241 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 242 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 242 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 243 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 243 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 244 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 244 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 245 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 245 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 246 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 246 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 247 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 247 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 248 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 248 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 249 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 249 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 250 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 250 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 251 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 251 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 252 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 252 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 253 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 253 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 254 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 254 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 255 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 255 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 256 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 256 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 257 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 257 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 258 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 258 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 259 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 259 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 260 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 260 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 261 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 261 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 262 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 262 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 263 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 263 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 264 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 264 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 265 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 265 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 266 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 266 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 267 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 267 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 268 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 268 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 269 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 269 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 270 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 270 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 271 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 271 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 272 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 272 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 273 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 273 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 274 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 274 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 275 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 275 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 276 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 276 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 277 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 277 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 278 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 278 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 279 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 279 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 280 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 280 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 281 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 281 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 282 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 282 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 283 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 283 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 284 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 284 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 285 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 285 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 286 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 286 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 287 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 287 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 288 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 288 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 289 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 289 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 290 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 290 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 291 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 291 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 292 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 292 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 293 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 293 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 294 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 294 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 295 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 295 gugauguaug ucagagagut t 21 296 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 296 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 297 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 297 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 298 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 298 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 299 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 299 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 300 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 300 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 301 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 301 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 302 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 302 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 303 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 303 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 304 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 304 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 305 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 305 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 306 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 306 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 307 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 307 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 308 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 308 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 309 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 309 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 310 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 310 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 311 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 311 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 312 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 312 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 313 21 DNA Artificial Sequence RNA/DNA, synthetic, RNA with 2′deoxythymidines at 3′ end 313 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 314 21 DNA Artificial Sequence modified_base (20)...(21) 2′ deoxythymidine 314 acucucugac auacaucact t 21 

1. A method of performing RNA interference, said method comprising exposing a double stranded polynucleotide to a target nucleic acid, wherein said double stranded polynucleotide is comprised of a sense strand and an antisense strand, and wherein said sense strand is substantially nonfunctional.
 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said sense strand comprises at least one 2′-O-alkyl modification.
 3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said sense strand comprises at least one cytosine- or uracil-containing nucleotide base, and said at least one cytosine- or uracil-containing nucleotide base has a 2′-O-methyl modification.
 4. The method according to claim 2, wherein said 2′-O-alkyl modification is a 2′-O-methyl modification.
 5. The method according to claim 4, wherein said at least one 2′-O-methyl modification is on the first, second, eighteenth and/or nineteenth nucleotide base.
 6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the sense strand further comprises a 5′ conjugate.
 7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the conjugate is cholesterol.
 8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the sense strand comprises a cap on its 3′ end.
 9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the cap is an inverted deoxythymidine or two consecutive 2′-O-methyl modified nucleotides.
 10. The method according to claim 1, wherein said antisense strand comprises at least one modified nucleotide.
 11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the at least one modified nucleotide is a 2′-halogen-modified nucleotide.
 12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the 2′-halogen modified nucleotide is a 2′-fluorine-modified nucleotide.
 13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the sense strand comprises one or more cytosine- and/or uracil-containing nucleotide bases, and each of said one or more cytosine- and/or uracil-containing nucleotide bases is 2′-fluorine modified.
 14. A method of performing RNA interference, said method comprising exposing a double stranded polynucleotide to a target nucleic acid, wherein said double stranded polynucleotide comprises (a) a conjugate; (b) a sense strand comprising at least one 2′-O-alkyl modification, wherein said sense strand is substantially nonfunctional; and, (c) an antisense strand comprising at least one 2′-fluorine modification, wherein said sense and antisense strands form a duplex of 18-30 base pairs.
 15. The method according to claim 14, wherein said at least one 2′-O-alkyl modification is on the first, second, eighteenth and/or nineteenth nucleotide base.
 16. The method according to claim 14, wherein the conjugate is a 5′ conjugate.
 17. The method according to claim 14, wherein the conjugate is cholesterol.
 18. The method according to claim 1, wherein the sense strand further comprises a cap on its 3′ end.
 19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the cap is an inverted deoxythymidine or two consecutive 2′-O-methyl modified nucleotides.
 20. A method of performing RNA interference, said method comprising exposing a double stranded polynucleotide to a target nucleic acid, wherein said double stranded polynucleotide is comprised of a sense strand and an antisense strand, and wherein at least one of said sense strand and said antisense strand comprises at least one orthoester modified nucleotide.
 21. The method according to claim 20, wherein said at least one orthoester modified nucleotide is located on said sense strand.
 22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the antisense strand comprises at least one nucleotide selected from the group consisting of a 2′ halogen modified nucleotide, a 2′ amine modified nucleotide, a 2′-O-alkyl modified nucleotide and a 2′ alkyl modified nucleotide.
 23. The method according to claim 22, wherein the antisense strand comprises at least one 2′ halogen modified nucleotide and said halogen is fluorine.
 24. The method according to claim 21, wherein the double stranded polynucleotide further comprises a conjugate.
 25. The method according to claim 24, wherein said conjugate is selected from the group consisting of amino acids, peptides, polypeptides, proteins, sugars, carbohydrates, lipids, polymers, nucleotides, polynucleotides, and combinations thereof.
 26. The method according to claim 24, wherein the conjugate is cholesterol.
 27. The method according to claim 24, wherein conjugate is polyethylene glycol.
 28. The method according to claim 20, wherein the double stranded polynucleotide comprises 18-30 nucleotide base pairs.
 29. The method according to claim 28, wherein the double stranded polynucleotide comprises 19 nucleotide base pairs.
 30. The method according to claim 20, wherein the double stranded polynucleotide has an overhang of at least one nucleotide unit on at least one of said sense strand and said antisense strand.
 31. The method according to claim 20, wherein at least one strand of the double stranded polynucleotide comprises at least one modified internucleotide linkage.
 32. The method according to claim 31, wherein the modified internucleotide linkage is selected from the group consisting of a phosphorothioate linkage and a phosphorodithioate linkage.
 33. The method according to claim 20, wherein at least one strand of the double stranded polynucleotide is a polyribonucleotide.
 34. A method of performing RNA interference, said method comprising exposing a double stranded polynucleotide to a target nucleic acid, wherein said double stranded polynucleotide is comprised of: (i) a sense strand, (ii) an antisense strand, and (iii) a conjugate, wherein at least one of said sense strand and said antisense strand comprises a 2′ modified nucleotide.
 35. A double stranded polynucleotide comprising: (a) a sense strand, wherein said sense strand comprises a polynucleotide that is comprised of at least one orthoester modified nucleotide; and (b) an antisense strand, wherein said antisense strand comprises a polynucleotide that is comprised of at least one 2′ modified nucleotide.
 36. The double stranded polynucleotide of claim 35, wherein the antisense strand comprises at least one nucleotide selected from the group consisting of a 2′ halogen modified nucleotide, a 2′ amine modified nucleotide, a 2′-O-alkyl modified nucleotide and a 2′ alkyl modified nucleotide.
 37. The double stranded polynucleotide of claim 36, wherein the 2′ modified nucleotide is a 2′ halogen modified nucleotide and said halogen is fluorine.
 38. The double stranded polynucleotide of claim 35, further comprising a conjugate.
 39. The double stranded polynucleotide of claim 38, wherein said conjugate is selected from the group consisting of amino acids, peptides, polypeptides, proteins, sugars, carbohydrates, lipids, polymers, nucleotides, polynucleotides, and combinations thereof.
 40. The double stranded polynucleotide of claim 38, wherein said conjugate is cholesterol.
 41. The double stranded polynucleotide of claim 38, wherein said conjugate is polyethylene glycol.
 42. The double stranded polynucleotide of claim 35, wherein said double stranded polynucleotide is comprised of 18-30 nucleotide base pairs.
 43. The double stranded polynucleotide of claim 42, wherein said double stranded polynucleotide is comprised of 19 nucleotide base pairs.
 44. The double stranded polynucleotide of claim 35, further comprising an overhang of at least one nucleotide unit on at least one of said sense strand and said antisense strand.
 45. The double stranded polynucleotide of claim 35, wherein at least one of said sense strand and said antisense strand comprises at least one modified internucleotide linkage.
 46. The double stranded polynucleotide of claim 45, wherein the modified internucleotide linkage is selected from the group consisting of a phosphorothioate linkage and a phosphorodithioate linkage.
 47. The double stranded polynucleotide of claim 35, wherein at least one of said sense strand and said antisense strand is a polyribonucleotide.
 48. A double stranded polynucleotide comprising: (a) a sense strand, wherein said sense strand comprises a polynucleotide that is comprised of at least one orthoester modified nucleotide; (b) an antisense strand, wherein said antisense strand comprises a polynucleotide that is comprised of at least one 2′ modified nucleotide; and (c) a conjugate.
 49. The double stranded polynucleotide of claim 48, wherein the conjugate is located on the sense strand.
 50. The double stranded polynucleotide of claim 48, wherein the conjugate is located on the antisense strand.
 51. The double stranded polynucleotide of claim 48, wherein the antisense strand comprises at least one nucleotide selected from the group consisting of a 2′ halogen modified nucleotide, a 2′ amine modified nucleotide, a 2′-O-alkyl modified nucleotide and a 2′ alkyl modified nucleotide.
 52. The double stranded polynucleotide of claim 51, wherein the sense strand is comprised of a 2′ halogen modified nucleotide and said halogen is fluorine.
 53. The double stranded polynucleotide of claim 48, wherein the conjugate is selected from the group consisting of amino acids, peptides, polypeptides, proteins, sugars, carbohydrates, lipids, polymers, nucleotides, polynucleotides, and combinations thereof.
 54. The double stranded polynucleotide of claim 48, wherein the conjugate is cholesterol.
 55. The double stranded polynucleotide of claim 48, wherein the conjugate is polyethylene glycol.
 56. The double stranded polynucleotide of claim 48, wherein said polynucleotide is comprised of 18-30 nucleotide base pairs.
 57. The double stranded polynucleotide of claim 56, wherein said polynucleotide is comprised of 19 nucleotide base pairs.
 58. The double stranded polynucleotide of claim 48, further comprising an overhang of at least one nucleotide unit on at least one of said sense strand and said antisense strand.
 59. The double stranded polynucleotide of claim 48, wherein at least one of said sense strand and said antisense strand comprises at least one modified internucleotide linkage.
 60. The double stranded polynucleotide of claim 59, wherein the modified internucleotide linkage is selected from the group consisting of a phosphorothioate linkage and a phosphorodithioate linkage.
 61. The double stranded polynucleotide of claim 48, wherein at least one of said sense strand and said antisense strand is a polyribonucleotide.
 62. A double stranded polynucleotide comprising: (a) a sense strand comprised of at least one orthoester modified nucleotide; (b) an antisense strand; and (c) a conjugate.
 63. The double stranded polynucleotide of claim 62, wherein said conjugate is located on the sense strand.
 64. The double stranded polynucleotide of claim 62, wherein said is located on the antisense strand.
 65. The double stranded polynucleotide of claim 62 wherein the antisense strand comprises at least one nucleotide selected from the group consisting of a 2′ halogen modified nucleotide, a 2′ amine modified nucleotide, a 2′-O-alkyl modified nucleotide and a 2′ alkyl modified nucleotide.
 66. The double stranded polynucleotide of claim 65, wherein the antisense strand is comprised of a 2′ halogen modified nucleotide and said halogen is fluorine.
 67. The double stranded polynucleotide of claim 62, wherein the conjugate is selected from the group consisting of amino acids, peptides, polypeptides, proteins, sugars, carbohydrates, lipids, polymers, nucleotides, polynucleotides, and combinations thereof.
 68. The double stranded polynucleotide of claim 62, wherein the conjugate is cholesterol.
 69. The double stranded polynucleotide of claim 62, wherein the conjugate is polyethylene glycol.
 70. The double stranded polynucleotide of claim 62, wherein the polynucleotide is comprised of 18-30 nucleotide base pairs.
 71. The double stranded polynucleotide of claim 70, wherein the polynucleotide is comprised of 19 nucleotide base pairs.
 72. The double stranded polynucleotide of claim 62, further comprising an overhang of at least one nucleotide unit on at least one of said sense stand and said antisense strand.
 73. The double stranded polynucleotide of claim 62, wherein at least one of said sense strand and said antisense strand comprises at least one modified internucleotide linkage.
 74. The double stranded polynucleotide of claim 62, wherein at least one of said sense strand and said antisense strand is a polyribonucleotide.
 75. A double stranded polynucleotide comprising: (a) a sense strand; (b) an antisense strand; and (c) a conjugate; wherein the sense strand and/or the antisense strand comprises at least one 2′ modified nucleotide.
 76. The double stranded polynucleotide of claim 75, wherein the 2′ modified nucleotide is selected from the group consisting of a 2′ halogen modified nucleotide, a 2′ amine modified nucleotide, a 2′-O-alkyl modified nucleotide and a 2′ alkyl modified nucleotide.
 77. The double stranded polynucleotide of claim 76, wherein the 2′ modified nucleotide is a 2′ halogen modified nucleotide and said halogen is fluorine.
 78. The double stranded polynucleotide of claim 75, wherein the conjugate is selected from the group consisting of amino acids, peptides, polypeptides, proteins, sugars, carbohydrates, lipids, polymers, nucleotides, polynucleotides, and combinations thereof.
 79. The double stranded polynucleotide of claim 75, wherein the conjugate is cholesterol.
 80. The double stranded polynucleotide of claim 75, wherein the conjugate is polyethylene glycol.
 81. The double stranded polynucleotide of claim 75, wherein said polynucleotide is comprised of 18-30 nucleotide base pairs.
 82. The double stranded polynucleotide of claim 75, wherein said polynucleotide is comprised of 19 nucleotide base pairs.
 83. The double stranded polynucleotide of claim 75, further comprising an overhang of at least one nucleotide unit on at least one of said sense strand and said antisense strand.
 84. The double stranded polynucleotide of claim 75, wherein at least one of said sense strand and said antisense strand comprises at least one modified internucleotide linkage.
 85. The double stranded polynucleotide of claim 84, wherein the modified internucleotide linkage is selected from the group consisting of a phosphorothioate linkage and a phosphorodithioate linkage.
 86. The double stranded polynucleotide of claim 75, wherein at least one of said sense strand and said antisense strand is a polyribonucleotide.
 87. A double stranded polyribonucleotide comprising: (a) a sense strand, wherein said sense strand is comprised of at least one 2′ orthoester modified nucleotide; (b) an antisense strand, wherein said antisense strand is comprised of at least one 2′ modified nucleotide selected from the group consisting of a 2′ halogen modified nucleotide, a 2′ amine modified nucleotide, a 2′-O-alkyl modified nucleotide, and a 2′ alkyl modified nucleotide; and (c) a conjugate selected from the group consisting of amino acids, peptides, polypeptides, proteins, sugars, carbohydrates, lipids, polymers, nucleotides, polynucleotides, and combinations thereof; wherein said polyribonucleotide comprises between 18 and 30 nucleotide base pairs.
 88. A composition comprising:

wherein: each of B₁ and B₂ is a nitrogenous base, heterocycle or carbocycle; X is selected from the group consisting of O, S, C, and N; W is selected from the group consisting of an OH, a phosphate, a phosphate ester, a phosphodiester, a phosphotriester, a modified internucleotide link, a conjugate, a nucleotide, and a polynucleotide; R1 is an orthoester; R2 is selected from the group consisting of a 2′-O-alkyl group, an alkyl group, and amine, and a halogen; and Y is a nucleotide or polynucleotide. 